Everything About Diabetes

Stem Cells May Help in Type 1 Diabetes

2012-01-16T01:33:00.000-08:00

Therapy using the patient's lymphocytes passed through a device with cord blood stem cells may "educate" the patient's cells to provide safe, lasting treatment for patients with type 1 diabetes, according to the results of a small Chinese study.

Those patients with moderate diabetes and some residual beta cell function (Group A) exhibited improved fasting C-peptide levels at 12 and 24 weeks post-treatment, Yong Zhao, PhD, of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and colleagues reported online in BMC Medicine.

Patients with more severe disease and no residual beta cell function (Group B) also showed improvement at every follow-up.

Treatment consisted of passing lymphocytes from the patient's blood through discs containing adherent multipotent cord blood stem cells. After two or three hours, the lymphocytes were collected and returned to the patient.

No participants suffered any serious adverse events, reporting only mild discomfort during venipuncture and apheresis, which resolved at the conclusion of the procedure. There were also no significant differences at 24 hours after treatment in white blood cell counts or body temperature.

In the phase I/II open-label trial, the researchers enrolled 15 patients with type 1 diabetes (mean duration 8.5 ± 6.4 years) receiving care at the General Hospital of the Jinan Military District. Patients were enrolled if they met the 2010 diagnosis criteria of the American Diabetes Association and blood tests found at least one autoantibody to pancreatic islet beta cells.

Exclusion criteria included liver, kidney, or heart disease, pregnancy, use of immunosuppressive medications, viral diseases, or immunodeficiency diseases. After two days of hospitalization to monitor early adverse reactions, follow-ups were scheduled at 4, 12, 24, 40 weeks after treatment.

Twelve patients were divided into two groups of six according to the severity of their diabetes and whether they had any residual beta cell function. Both cohorts were given full treatments. A third group of three individuals was given a single sham treatment to serve as a process-control.

Addressing the autoimmunity that underlies type 1 diabetes has been a major impediment to using stem cells for long-term treatment. Studies in mice have shown that cord blood stem cells can be used to alter immune function and they have been shown to modulate the immune function of type 1 diabetes patient-derived islet beta cell-specific T cell clones.

The researchers wanted to know if re-educating a patient's lymphocytes had the potential to address the autoimmunity concerns in a way that reduced donor risk, minimized ethical concerns, and avoided graft-versus-host disease.

C-peptide production at baseline in Group B was less than the minimum sensitivity of the test following a 75-g oral glucose tolerance. They had marked improvement at 12 weeks that continued to 40 weeks (P=0.026). The control group showed no changes at any time.

The median daily dose of insulin was reduced by 38% at 12 weeks (36 ± 13.2 units/day versus 22 ± 1.8 units/day) and 25% in the more severe group (48 ± 7.4 units/day versus 36 ± 4.4 units/day). These were maintained through the entire 24 weeks this measure was tracked.

Median hemoglobin A₁C showed similar results.

In Group A the median was lowered from 8.73% ± 2.49 at baseline to 6.82% ± 0.49 at 12 weeks after treatment (P=0.019). This measure fell 1.68% ± 0.42 at 12 weeks in Group B with no change in the controls (P=0.86). These indicated to the authors that immune education of cord blood stem cells could lead to regeneration of islet beta cell function.

They also measured changes in the CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) to see if measures of autoimmunity were altered. The percentage of Tregs in peripheral blood was significantly increased at 4 weeks in the treatment groups but not in the sham controls (P<0.0001).

There was no evidence of transfer of the cord blood stem cells to the patients as a result of the process of treating the lymphocytes, according to the investigators.

"This trial provides powerful evidence that exposing a patient's lymphocytes to [cord blood stem cells] can achieve the two essential outcomes required to cure T1D: reversal of autoimmunity and regeneration of islet beta cells," wrote the authors. "Importantly, the trial provides additional support for the mechanisms of [cord blood stem cells]-mediated immune response and demonstrates these mechanisms are apparent and lasting in patients."

Sleep Woes Tied to Blood Sugar Levels in Diabetic Kids

2012-01-06T00:15:00.000-08:00

Sleep Woes Tied to Blood Sugar Levels in Diabetic Kids

Children with type 1 diabetes may be more likely to have sleep problems that worsen not only their blood sugar control, but also their quality of life, researchers found.

Diabetic children with more nightly apnea events had significantly higher glucose levels and spent more time in hyperglycemia than young type 1 diabetics without sleep disturbances, Michelle Perfect, PhD, of the University of Arizona in Tucson, and colleagues reported online in Sleep.

And those who reported being sleepier during the day had more trouble in school and worse quality of life, they found.

"Despite adhering to recommendations for good diabetic health, many youth with type 1 diabetes have difficulty maintaining control of their blood sugars," Perfect said in a statement. "We found that it could be due to abnormalities in sleep, such as daytime sleepiness, lighter sleep, and sleep apnea. All of these make it more difficult to have good blood sugar control."

Some work has shown that sleep can impact glucose regulation. In particular, slow-wave, or deep sleep, may be important in glucose maintenance and insulin sensitivity, the researchers said. In fact, some studies have shown that sleep architecture may be altered in diabetes patients, and they may spend more time in lighter stages of sleep and in the REM stage, and less time in deeper sleep.

Yet most research in this area has focused on adults with type 2 diabetes, not young people with type 1 disease, they noted.

So Perfect and colleagues assessed 50 type 1 diabetes patients ages 10 to 16 -- 40 of whom had polysomnography data -- and in part of the study, compared them with 40 matched controls.

They found that kids with an apnea-hypopnea index score of 1.5 events per hour or greater had higher blood glucose levels on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) and a spent greater percentage of time at night in hyperglycemia (P=0.021 for both).

With regard to sleep architecture, when compared with healthy controls, youth with type 1 diabetes spent more time in N2 sleep, or lighter sleep (P=0.003), and less time in N3 sleep, or deeper sleep (P=0.011), particularly during the first half of the night, Perfect and colleagues wrote.

Those with diabetes also experienced more central apnea events per hour (P=0.029), although there were no significant differences in total apnea events, the researchers said.

Perfect and colleagues found that spending less time in N3 sleep, or deep sleep, was associated with higher HbA1c levels (P=0.003), and that more time spent in N2 sleep, or a lighter sleep, was associated with higher HbA1c levels (P<0.001), higher glucose levels (P=0.014), and more time in hyperglycemia (P=0.03).

The researchers also found that self-reported daytime sleepiness was linked with compromised psychosocial functioning.

For instance, greater daytime sleepiness was significantly associated with worse grades in school (P<0.001), reduced disease-related quality of life (P=0.004), more diabetes-related worry (P=0.005), and greater depressive symptoms (P=0.027).

Self-reported sleep problems also were related to lower scores on state standardized tests of reading, the researchers found, and spending more time in N2 sleep, or lighter sleep, was associated with worse scores on state math tests.

The findings regarding school performance "should serve as an impetus for future research to better understand the role of sleep in altering school functioning in youth with diabetes," the researchers wrote.

The researchers concluded that the study "adds to the burgeoning evidence that sleep-disordered breathing may result in higher glucose levels," but that further study is needed -- particularly a longitudinal trial to discern whether sleep problems affect glucose control, or if dysregulated glucose contributes to sleep problems in young type 1 diabetics.

They added that clinicians should routinely ask about sleep habits in this population as part of routine care.

The study was limited by its small population, and because it didn't control for insulin dosage. Also, it precluded analysis of the effects of severe sleep-disordered breathing on this population.

Are You Suffering From Diabetes?

2011-12-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

Are You Suffering From Diabetes?

People who consider that they are at danger of diabetes should be on the look out for the warning signs. So, who ought to be looking for the signs of diabetes? Well, everybody to be honest, but especially those who have a family history of the disease.

People who have a family tradition of diabetes are the most at danger, but next come the obese and especially those chunky people who do not exercise.

The less exercise, the more chance. After those, it is hard to guess who may develop it.

Some think that food additives might also be to blame. If this is true, then those who eat junk food, canned food and pre-cooked meals, including sweets are also at a higher danger. This would make sense, because not all the people getting diabetes have a family history of it or are overweight.

And plenty of people are becoming diabetic nowadays. Lots more than ever before. It is a fact that there are more desk jobs than ever before as well and so more fat people and if heredity is a prime factor then one diabetic could produce several more, but the additives idea may be a factor as well.

There are three forms of diabetes, namely:

Type I: also called juvenile diabetes, because kids get it or are born with it.

Type II: also known as onset diabetes, because people develop it later in life.

Gestational Diabetes: pregnant women frequently develop this in the third term of their pregnancy. It is only recognized as a an illness in the USA, because it frequently goes away soon after the baby is born.

The indications of all types of diabetes are comparable, but here is a slightly more detailed list:

Type I: you do not really have to look out for this because most children get plenty of medical care at school, but otherwise look out for incessant thirst, the urgent requirement to urinate as a consequence of that and sudden weight loss.

Type II: as the illness takes a hold, sight may suffer; sight might blur and cataracts might develop. Cuts and sores might take longer to heal. There might be frequent yeast infections, thirstiness and consequential frequent urination.

The urine might smell sweet or look 'thicker'. There may be tingling or even pain in the feet and hands because of poor circulation.

Gestational Diabetes: like Type II, to which it may lead if left untreated.

If you become aware of any of the above symptoms in yourself or a friend, you have to have clinical tests carried out instantly, because the longer you leave it, the worse it gets. It will not merely get better on its own - never, ever. It is not like a cold or food poisoning

The check ups are not hard on the patient, but they may be lengthy and will involve giving some blood, although how much relies on the check ups. When giving blood, the patient may be required to fast for 8-12 hours.

Shift work Increases Diabetes in Women

2011-12-20T06:07:00.000-08:00

Shift Work Increases Diabetes in Women

Women who worked a rotating night shift had an increased risk of type 2 diabetes that was not completely explained by an increase in body mass index (BMI), according to results of a prospective study of women who were enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Studies. Nurses who had 1 to 10 years of night shift work saw a 5% excess risk for type 2 diabetes compared to women who did minimal to no night shift work. That risk climbed to 40% after a decade of shift work, according to Frank Hu, MD, PhD, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard School of Medicine in Boston, and colleagues.

Excess risk rocketed to almost 60% for those who had put in 20 years or more, the group reported. Other studies have suggested that rotating night shift work is associated with an increased risk for obesity and metabolic syndrome, both of which are conditions related to type 2 diabetes, they wrote.

Hu’s group examined the relationship between the duration of rotating night shift work and the risk of type 2 diabetes in U.S. women who participated in Nurses’ Health Studies (NHS) I and II. They also looked at whether greater weight gain was linked to duration of shift work.

Collectively, NHS I and II enrolled nearly 240,000 women. For this study, the women who completed the NHS questionnaire in 1988 or 1989 served as the baseline for this particular study. Participants were excluded if they had diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or cancer at baseline. Follow-up took place at 18 to 20 years.

Rotating night shifts were defined as working at least three nights a month in addition to days and evenings in that same month. The control group consisted of women who did not report a history of rotating night shift work. In both cohorts, women who spent more years in night shift work were older, more likely to have a higher BMI, and be smokers.

In a secondary analysis, they found that night shift work was also associated with an elevated risk for obesity and excessive weight gain during the follow-up period. They suggested that, beyond BMI, a reason for the link between shift work and type 2 diabetes may be “chronic misalignment between the endogenous circadian timing system and the behavior cycles.” This misalignment has been pegged as a reason for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, including increases in glucose and insulin, they wrote.

In an accompanying commentary, Mika Kivimäki, PhD, from University College London, and colleagues said the study “probably represents the most accurate estimate of shift work-type 2 diabetes association available to date, suggesting this effect is comparable in size to that of work stress in coronary heart disease and larger than the effect of work stress on type 2 diabetes.”

They suggested that in an increasingly “24/7″ society, efforts need to be made to prevent type 2 diabetes among shift workers by promoting healthy lifestyle and weight control. Also, prediabetic and diabetic employees need to be identified early and treated accordingly.

Diabetes Tips for the Holidays

2011-12-02T00:32:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Tips for the Holidays

For those living with diabetes, the holidays may feel like one long forbidden buffet line. According to SSM St. Clare Health Center, in Fenton, traditional foods filled with rich, carbohydrate-laden ingredients are common. Parties and family get-togethers can disrupt carefully timed eating schedules, and travel during the holidays can mean missed meals, increased stress and less-than-optimum food choices.

Abbie Luegger, R.N. and certified diabetes educator for SSM, shares some key strategies for diabetics during the holidays with this Q&A.

Q: What are some key strategies for the holidays and eating?

A: Plan ahead for holiday meals. Decide whether you need to pack a snack if the meal is going to be later than you normally eat. Consider foods you might be tempted to eat, and create a plan on how you will stick to correct amount and portions of carbohydrates.

Q: What are some tasty, alternative foods for diabetics?

A: Tasty alternatives for diabetics might be substituting Splenda for sugar in recipes. Try recipes that use spices instead of high fat or sugar for flavor. Instead of apple pie (about 3 carb choices), have baked apples with sugar or sugar substitute (1 ½ -2 carb choices). Instead of cheesecake with strawberries (1 ½ carbs), try having 3 strawberries stuffed with cheesecake stuffing, along with a few graham cracker crumbs and a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top (1-1 ½ carbs and can be made lower in fat and calories).

Q: For those traveling, especially by air, do you have any recommendations on ways to cope both with eating and injections?

A: Work with your doctor on timing injections properly for time changes. Bring along snacks to travel with in case your flight is delayed. Carry fast-acting carbohydrates to treat low blood glucose and a glucagon kit, if needed.

Q: If one does miss a meal or gets off schedule, what are some strategies for getting back on track?

A: Missing a meal can be dangerous when on injections or some types of oral diabetes medications. Try grabbing a drink or snack while waiting on a meal. Prepare ahead of time to prevent missed meals. Planning is key to diabetes management and control.

Q: Can you talk specifically about parents of juvenile diabetes, and what strategies they can use to make eating and traveling for the holidays fun for the kids?

A: Allowing type 1 diabetics to enjoy the holidays and allowing for snacks and treats is important, especially for kids. Allowing children to eat some cookies or favorite foods is fine, as long as they are sticking within carbohydrate allotments. Make sure to bring enough insulin, testing supplies and syringes and an extra back up of insulin and insulin pumps.

Amelia Lily's Diabetes Fear

2011-11-23T00:37:00.000-08:00

Amelia Lily's Diabetes Fear

'The X Factor' star Amelia Lily fears diabetes could leave her blind, and has to inject insulin four times a day to counteract it.

'The X Factor' star Amelia Lily fears diabetes could leave her blind.

The 17-year-old singer was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes - a condition whereby sufferers have low blood sugar levels - aged three and has to inject herself with insulin daily.

She told the Daily Star Sunday newspaper: "I need four injections a day and I've had it for 14 years now.

"It's just become a daily routine but I still need to be careful.

"It is serious and I could end up going blind if I have too many high blood sugars."

Amelia - who was sent home by mentor Kelly Rowland after the first live final, but voted back into the competition last week after Frankie Cocozza was axed - also has to adjust the amount she takes to counteract the adrenalin rush of appearing on the programme, which could potentially send her into a diabetes-induced coma.

She said: "I used to have fits when I was younger. I have to be careful with my bloods and adrenalin uses a lot of energy, so I need to decrease my insulin before I perform. It's hard to get the balance right but I always decrease my insulin just before performing to be safe."

Amelia performed Aretha Franklin's 'Think' on last night's (19.11.11) show, and admitted she has been nervous about coming back to the show aftermissing five weeks of live finals.

She added: "I'm feeling the pressure now because I've gone from not being in the show any more to being the favourite to win.

"It's hard to handle, there's a lot of stress and pressure.

"And you have your doubts but I'm a strong person and you have to be to be inthe music industry."

Fountain Goes Blue to Eradicate Diabetes

2011-11-15T01:15:00.000-08:00

Fountain Goes Blue to Eradicate Diabetes

From New York's Empire State Building to Paris's Eiffel Tower, landmarks around the world — including here in Columbia — were turned blue Monday in recognition of World Diabetes Day.

That's why at noon Monday, representatives and supporters of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's Palmetto Chapter poured bottles of food coloring into both of Five Points' fountains, transforming their waters a bright blue.

Though the event did not include a fundraising component, Dana Bruce, the Palmetto Chapter's executive director, said she hoped it would help raise awareness about Type 1 diabetes.

"Many people don't understand that it's an autoimmune disease — that no one did anything to get this disease; it's the body attacking itself," she said. "We thought this was a great way to raise awareness — a bright blue color, something simple that we could do as a group...that will last all day long."

Juvenile diabetes, she said, is an increasingly visible disease, as nearly all Columbia schools have a student who has been diagnosed, and awareness efforts are on the rise.

But for the families and friends who are affected, it has a profound impact on daily life.

Greta McMahon came with her 10-year-old daughter Morgan, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 3.

"It changes your whole way of life," she said. "Everything you buy for your family to eat or drink, everything she puts in her mouth has to be monitored."
Ruskin Foster, a third-year economics student, echoed that sentiment and explained how diabetes has impacted him.

"It literally has changed my life completely. I was diagnosed at 8 years old; I hardly remember the life without diabetes," he said. "There's nothing worse than feeling that you're helpless against the disease. That's what most people don't understand — that I'm going to wake up every morning for the rest of my life with it."

The disease impacts him every day, from weekday meals to weekend parties.
"You can't do what most people here do," he said. "I can't live the party life that everyone else lives because I have to worry every morning about waking up with something...I can't go out and drink a handle because I might not wake up."

Even eating on campus can become a tricky struggle.

"Really, you have to do all the research on your own," Foster said. "They don't have books sitting around telling you how many carbs are in [a meal]; they don't really go for diabetic-friendly food because they have to satisfy so many people."

As a result, he said, he and other diabetics often have to fend for themselves and look out for each other.

Once, that meant borrowing insulin from another diabetic in Athens, Ga.; mostly, though, it means Foster wants to spread awareness for the disease so he and other diabetics can get support and help if they need it.

"If you ever meet a diabetic, ask them what it's like. Get their perspective," he said. "The more people are aware, the better the disease is going to be treated and the closer we're going to get to a cure."

Pregnant with Type 1 Diabetes

2011-10-29T02:27:00.000-07:00

Pregnant with Type 1 Diabetes

Welcome to the second trimester! By now, many type 1s are experiencing fewer hypoglycemic episodes, and insulin resistance is just beginning to rear its head. You're on the other side of the miscarriage worry hump and getting settled into the pregnancy routine. Congratulations! Take a few minutes each day to celebrate your successes and pat your stomach with a smile, knowing you are doing the best you can to give your growing child everything she needs.

You probably have a large support network built by now and are often leaning on those with experience and insight, or just some kind words, to get you through these stressful days. If you haven't already spoken about your concerns and announced your successes to a diabetes online community, I suggest you do so now. Many women on social network sites have already been through pregnancy with diabetes, are muddling their way through it now, or are trying to jump on the bandwagon. I found enormous amounts of support there and couldn't have made it through my pregnancy without it.

After the first trimester was over, around week 15, I switched from NPH back to Levemir, feeling confident that my baby's major organ development was completed. My stresses with NPH during the first trimester nearly cost us both our lives numerous times. I felt it was less of a risk to simply switch back to Levemir than to battle the insulin shocks I dealt with in the first weeks. Research and speak with your doctors to decide if this is an option for you.

Around week 20, most women with diabetes are experiencing insulin resistance. My doctors explained that the placenta gives off hormones that lead to insulin resistance. As your pregnancy progresses, the placenta gives off more and more of these hormones, making your resistance steadily increase. By the third trimester, most women with diabetes are injecting four times the amount of insulin they were taking pre-pregnancy.

If this is just beginning for you, remember: Insulin is not your enemy. It is a tool to keep your body "normal," so take as much as you need to take. Do not starve yourself in order to limit your insulin needs. You and your baby need carbohydrates and calories to keep your body functioning and to keep hers growing. If you have to take a few more units at each meal, don't stress. Your body will return to normal after baby comes.

My insulin resistance began around week 20, after which I began increasing my basals by five units every two days to keep my levels down. By the end of pregnancy, it was normal for me to take 30 units of Apidra at each meal. I was also taking 135 units of Levemir twice per day, compared to before pregnancy, when I took only 35 to 45 units of Levemir twice per day. It was a huge increase, but my baby is six weeks old now, and I'm back down to 8 to 10 units of Apidra per meal and 45 units of Levemir twice per day.

Around week 20, I started taking 500 milligrams of metformin in the mornings to combat my insulin resistance and dawn phenomenon. This may be an option for you. Work with your doctors and discuss the risks of taking this prescription to decide if it's the right choice.

There are a lot of stresses in day-to-day life while pregnant. Add in being an insulin-dependent woman with diabetes, and your days will sometimes go by in a numeric blur. The key is to remember what you're working toward and the fact that this will pass. It takes hard work and determination to check your glucose readings ten times per day, take 20 or more injections per day (or corrections on the insulin pump), measure all of your food intake, and worry over your baby's progress. But in a few more months you will be returned to your diabetes norm while holding that sweet baby in your arms.

Take pride in what you've accomplished so far. It is not easy being pregnant, and it is no small feat to be diabetic. What you've achieved so far is amazing. Stay on top of things and manage your glucose ranges, but remember to celebrate every small success. If she understood, your baby would be dancing inside of you, celebrating too.

BPA Again Tied to Diabetes Risk

2011-10-21T00:39:00.000-07:00

BPA Again Tied to Diabetes Risk

Adding to the mixed bag of research on bisphenol A and diabetes, a new study suggests that people with higher urinary levels of the controversial chemical do have a higher risk of diabetes.

Bisphenol A -- better known as BPA -- is a so-called endocrine disruptor, which means it may affect normal hormone activity in the body.

It's also all around us. BPA has been used for decades to make hard plastic containers, as well as linings for metal food and drink cans. Research suggests that most people have some amount of BPA in their blood, including about 95 percent of Americans.

Recent animal studies have hinted that the chemical could play a role in certain cancers, heart disease and abnormal brain development in children. But BPA's true effects in humans remain unknown.

Two large studies have found a link between higher BPA levels and higher heart disease risk. And a 2008 study found that of Americans in a government health survey, those with higher BPA levels showed a higher diabetes risk.

None of that, however, proves cause-and-effect. And a recent study of Chinese adults found no link between BPA levels and diabetes risk.

This latest study is based on data from a federal health study done between 2003 and 2008. Researchers found that of nearly 4,000 U.S. adults involved, those with the highest urinary BPA levels were more likely to have diabetes.

Just under 12 percent of all study participants had diabetes, based on blood sugar tests. And the odds of having the disease rose as urinary BPA increased.

Of people with the highest levels (more than 4.2 nanograms per milliliter, ng/mL), almost 13 percent had diabetes, versus 8 percent of adults with the lowest BPA levels (less than 1.1 ng/mL)

For comparison, the typical urinary BPA level among Americans has stood at about 2 ng/mL in recent years.

The findings, reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, do not prove that BPA is responsible for the higher diabetes risk.

"Since BPA measurements as well as diabetes diagnosis were conducted at the same time, we cannot say for sure that BPA exposure preceded diabetes development," lead researcher Dr. Anoop Shankar, of the West Virginia University School of Medicine, said in an email.

The researchers did account for a number of other factors in diabetes risk -- like body weight, age and race. And the BPA-diabetes link still held; people with the highest levels had a 68 percent greater risk of diabetes than those with the lowest levels.

But what's needed, according to Shankar, are long-term studies that start with diabetes-free adults, measure their BPA levels, then see who develops diabetes over time.

Shankar said he and his colleagues are planning such a study.

Exactly how BPA might promote diabetes is unclear. Lab research suggests that BPA can act like a hormone in the body and, in animals at least, promote weight gain.

In this study, Shankar's team found that BPA levels were related to diabetes risk in both heavy and normal-weight people. But there may be pathways other than weight gain, according to Shankar.

BPA may, for instance, promote body-wide inflammation, which is linked to diabetes and a range of other chronic diseases. Again, though, that's based on animal research.

In general, experts say that people who are concerned about BPA can try cutting down on canned foods and avoiding food containers made of polycarbonate plastics -- especially for reheating food, since high heat may transfer small amounts of BPA into food.

Polycarbonate plastics are usually marked with the recycling code "7."

Due to the controversy over BPA, the major manufacturers of infant bottles and feeding cups in the U.S. have stopped using the chemical.

Men Appear to be at Higher Risk for Diabetes

2011-10-17T00:15:00.000-07:00

Men Appear to be at Higher Risk for Diabetes

According to a new study, men who put on excess weight are putting themselves at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The research found that men do not need to put on as much weight as women in order to develop type 2 diabetes. The research was carried out by a team from the University of Glasgow, who said this may explain why in many parts of the world, diabetes rates are higher among males.

"Previous research has indicated that middle-aged men are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than women and one possible explanation is that men have to gain less weight than women to develop the condition.

“In other words, men appear to be at higher risk for diabetes," explained lead researcher, Prof Naveed Sattar, of the University of Glasgow.

The study looked at almost 52,000 men and over 43,000 whom all had diabetes, and measurements, such as height and weight, were recorded. Factors such as smoking and age were also taken into account.

The study found that men were more likely to develop the disease if their BMI (body mass index) was 31.8 while for women it was 33.6. "The results from this research confirm our hypothesis that men have to gain less weight to develop diabetes," Prof Sattar explained.

The researchers believe this may be down to how fat is distributed around the body. According to Irish Health, men tend to carry more visceral or intra-abdominal fat, which is located deep under the muscle tissue in the abdomen and is considered a more dangerous type of fat. Women on the other hand tend to carry more ‘safe' subcutaneous fat.

Diabetes at Crisis Levels in Ireland

2011-10-10T00:03:00.000-07:00

Diabetes at Crisis Levels in Ireland

ONE IN three Irish people has a family member with diabetes, according to new research.

The figures have been described as a “national crisis” by Prof Séamus Sreenan, consultant endocrinologist and medical director of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland.

“We have been saying it for years, but these figures really bring the message home – diabetes is everywhere in Ireland,” he said.

“It’s in urban and rural communities, in rich areas and less well-off areas.”

One in five people has a family member with type 2 diabetes – which is preventable – and 77 per cent of Irish people know somebody with the disease.

The figures are based on a representative sample of more than 700 people carried out by market research company Behaviour and Attitudes on behalf of the Diabetes Federation of Ireland and the healthcare company Sanofi.

The research has been published to coincide with changes to the HbA1C clinical measurements for diabetes which come into effect from January 1st, 2012.

The Know Your Numbers! campaign aims to help people with diabetes minimise their risk of developing a complication relating to the condition.

The campaign is supported by the HSE and the Irish Pharmacy Union.

Currently, the HbA1C test measures the amount of glucose in the blood and monitors how well diabetes has been controlled in the previous two to three months.

HbA1C is the name given to a chemical reaction that causes glucose to stick to the haemoglobin in the red blood cells.

The new unit measurements for reporting HbA1C will prevent any mix-up between glucose and HbA1C results.

Obesity is one of the most common causes of diabetes, and losing weight can be one of the most cost-efficient ways of preventing it.

Other risk factors include not getting enough exercise and being over 45 years of age.

Type 2 diabetes can lead to heart disease and strokes, kidney trouble and also lower limb amputation in some cases.

Prof Sreenan said it takes an average of 12 years between the onset of type 2 diabetes and its diagnosis, by which time it is often too late for many sufferers.

Type 2 diabetes has been described as a ticking timebomb across the developed world as people live longer and obesity continues to increase.

It is estimated that there are 180,000 people in Ireland with type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

That figure is expected to rise to 233,000 by 2020.

It is believed that 146,000 people in Ireland have undetected pre-diabetes and will have type 2 diabetes within five years unless they take action.

UAE is in Midst of Diabetes Explosion

2011-09-28T23:55:00.000-07:00

UAE is in Midst of Diabetes Explosion

Diabetes is projected to affect a quarter of the UAE population by 2015 and the medical costs due to diabetes and pre-diabetes are projected to rise to an annual Dhs5.14 billion by 2020, reveals an expert.

Diabetes forms the greatest health threat in the UAE today. The cost of living with diabetes in the UAE stood at Dhs2.41 billion in 2010, according to a study released during the World Health Care Congress, says Jan Felton, managing director of Modern Pharmaceutical Company.

“The vast majority of cases in the Emirates is diagnosed as Type 2 diabetes, which is caused by lifestyle factors like poor diet and lack of exercise. Genetically, Emiratis are predisposed to diabetes and are prone to getting the disease more than other nationalities,” he adds.

The economic boom has changed the lifestyle from a nomadic to a highly modernised lifestyle over the past 35 years and this has exacerbated the tendency of getting this condition.

Understanding the need for education, awareness and support to bring about lifestyle change, an alliance of six healthcare establishments have set up “Decide,” a first-of-its-kind concrete and collective effort to stem incidence of the disease in the UAE.

The initiative recognises a better education and greater awareness of the condition to achieve successful prevention and management of diabetes, says Jan Felton, an advocate of the non-profit initiative to fight the disease through increased awareness.

Decide aims to educate and provide with support to help patients and healthcare professionals diagnose, treat and manage the symptoms of diabetes. “The problem is not diagnosis or even how to treat diabetes, it is educating the patients, and most importantly helping them decide to do the right thing and to live life to the full with diabetes,” he indicated.

“The alliance, by pooling their resources together, will be able to reach out to a greater number of people with greater voice to have behavioural change for managing diabetes,” adds Felton.

Decide conveys the “Live life to the full with diabetes” message through an all-round strategy of providing support not only to diabetics and their immediate carers, but also to professional healthcare practitioners such as doctors, dieticians and health authorities.

This holistic approach is further supported by a web-portal, www.decidecommunity.com, which will not only disseminate up-to-date information but also act as a platform and forum for diabetes.

“A sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy dietary choices contribute to the increasing concern about the country’s health, as diabetes is a serious and lifelong condition, which if not managed properly may lead to adverse health outcomes and serious complications,” explains Felton.

“Influencing change in behaviour would not only greatly reduce the increasing number of diabetics, but also the incidence of health complications and life-threatening diseases such as cardiovascular and renal failure,” he concludes.

When It Comes to Diabetes, Knowledge Truly Is Power

2011-09-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

When It Comes to Diabetes, Knowledge Truly Is Power

When people are diagnosed with diabetes, things can seem pretty overwhelming. In a short time, they have to absorb a daunting amount of information and start making significant decisions about the way they live their lives.

For many people, their diabetes diagnosis is the first time they've heard words like hypoglycemia, neuropathy, and microalbuminuria-or even blood glucose. Despite their unfamiliarity with such terms, they are expected to quickly grasp the information, change ingrained eating and exercise habits, learn how to monitor blood glucose levels, and remember how and when to take medications.

Yet another concept with which patients may be unfamiliar is the field of diabetes education. Many nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and others are certified as diabetes educators, with specific training in teaching people how to manage their condition. Diabetes education is a proven, effective way to help people avoid some of the serious complications that may arise.

Diabetes is a complex disease that requires daily self-management. Most of that work takes place outside of the physician's office-in the daily lives of the patients. So it's necessary for patients to learn healthy behaviors and make them part of their everyday lifestyle. But how do they do this?

Diabetes educators focus on seven key areas of diabetes self-management, developed by the American Association of Diabetes Educators and called the AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors^TM. It's important for patients to understand and set goals for improvement in each of the following areas:

Healthy Eating - Learning to make healthy food choices by paying attention to nutritional content and portion sizes
Being Active - Recognizing the importance of physical activity and making a plan to start moving today
Monitoring - Learning to check, record, and understand blood glucose levels and other numbers important to diabetes self-care
Taking Medication - Remembering to take medications as prescribed and understanding how they affect the body and diabetes management
Problem Solving - Gaining skills to identify problems or obstacles to self-care behaviors and learning how to solve them
Reducing Risks - Understanding the potential complications associated with diabetes and taking steps to prevent developing them
Healthy Coping - Developing healthy ways of dealing with challenges and difficult situations related to diabetes

Patients and diabetes educators can work together to create a plan for approaching these self-care behaviors and implementing them in the patient's life.

For someone who is newly diagnosed, Medicare and most private insurance companies cover 10 hours of diabetes self-management training. Every year after that, patients are entitled to two hours of diabetes self-management training. AADE recommends that patients ask their doctors for a referral to a diabetes educator.

Lifetime Dose of Excess Weight Tied to Diabetes Risk |

2011-09-08T23:36:00.000-07:00

Lifetime Dose of Excess Weight Tied to Diabetes Risk

Obesity is a known risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. But it hasn’t been clear whether the “dose” of obesity—how much excess weight a person has, and for how long—affects the risk of diabetes.

A new University of Michigan Health System study of about 8,000 adolescents and young adults shows the degree and duration of carrying extra pounds are important risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes in adulthood.

“Our study finds that the relationship between weight and type 2 diabetes is similar to the relationship between smoking and the risk of lung cancer,” says study lead author Joyce Lee, M.D., M.P.H., a pediatric endocrinologist at U-M’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. “The amount of excess weight that you carry, and the number of years for which you carry it, dramatically increase your risk of diabetes.”

The study appears online ahead of print in the September issue of the Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine.

“We know that, due to the childhood obesity epidemic, younger generations of Americans are becoming heavier much earlier in life, and are carrying the extra weight for longer periods over their lifetimes,” says Lee. “When you add the findings from this study, rates of diabetes in the United States may rise even higher than previously predicted.”

Researchers found that a measure of degree and duration of excess weight (based on the number of years body mass index, a calculation of weight and height, of 25 or higher) was a better predictor of diabetes risk than a single measurement of excess weight. A BMI over 25 is considered overweight and over 30 is considered obese.

Lee and colleagues also found that black and Hispanic compared with white individuals had a higher risk for diabetes, for a same amount of excess weight over time.

For example, individuals with a BMI of 35 (10 points higher than healthy weight) for 10 years would be considered to have 100 years of excess BMI. Hispanics in this group were twice as likely to develop diabetes compared to whites, while blacks in this group had one-and-a-half-times greater risk than whites.

Based on the latest findings, Lee suggests obesity prevention and treatment efforts should focus on adolescents and young adults, especially racial minorities.

In addition, she believes that measuring and following BMI and the cumulative “dose” of excess BMI may be helpful for clinicians and patients in understanding risk of diabetes in the future.

Evidence from other research indicates that BMI increases with age, and children who are obese are more likely to become obese adults.

Obesity is a well-known contributor to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, disability and premature death.

How Important is Activity with Diabetes?

2011-08-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

How Important is Activity with Diabetes?

Recently, I attended a diabetic support group and the speaker talked about activity. Although, she advocated activity for every person she said it was critical for the person with diabetes. She presented us with an analogy that really stuck with me.

She told us to imagine that our clenched fist represented our muscles. When we eat carbohydrates and it breaks down to sugar it cannot penetrate the muscles when they were like the closed fist. So, the sugar stays in the blood stream causing the blood sugar to rise. However, when we move our bodies and walk or do some other kind of exercise the fist (muscles) opens up and sugar can get into the muscles. Not only does that keep the blood sugar at an acceptable level, but provides energy for us. What a deal!

Now, that was a simple explanation but it makes sense to me. I am trying to make sure that I have activity every day. She also said that our activity was equally important to our daily food intake. We will write that down and be careful with that, but then do no activity. She encouraged us to get at least 30 minutes of exercise five times a week. That can be broken up into ten or fifteen minute intervals if needed. But get up and get moving. Your muscles will be glad you did, but so will your blood sugar!

Red Meat, Processed Meat Linked to Diabetes Risk

2011-08-13T23:44:00.000-07:00

Red Meat, Processed Meat Linked to Diabetes Risk

Red meat, particularly processed red meats like bacon, sausage, and hot dogs, may increase a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The more processed or unprocessed red meat a person eats, the greater the risk, according to a new study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Type 2 diabetes is linked with obesity. It occurs when they body does not produce enough of the hormone insulin, or the cells do not use insulin properly. Insulin helps the body use glucose or blood sugar for energy. When blood sugar remains elevated with diabetes, complications such as heart disease, blindness, and nerve and kidney damage can occur.

In the study, participants who ate one 3.5-ounce serving of non-processed red meat a day, such as steak or hamburger, were almost 20% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Those who ate half of this amount of processed meat, such as two slices of bacon or one hot dog, had a 51% increased risk for developing diabetes.

“The amount is not huge, but the risk is pretty high,” says Frank B. Hu, MD, PhD, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. “Regular consumption of red meat, especially processed, is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes. The findings are important given the rising epidemic of diabetes and the increasing consumption of red meat.”

'Sausage Skin' to Beat Diabetes

2011-08-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

'Sausage skin' to Beat Diabetes

Scientists have developed a sleeve implant that looks like a giant sausage skin to beat diabetes .

The 2ft-long device, developed as an incision-less alternative to a type of weight-loss surgery known as a duodenal switch, can reverse the disease within weeks, reports the Daily Mail .

The duodenum is the name for the first 10 to 12in of the small intestine, which attaches to the stomach.

6 Great Exercises for People With Diabetes

2011-08-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

6 Great Exercises for People With Diabetes

According to the American Diabetes Association, there are approximately 25 million children and adults who are diagnosed with diabetes. And just last year, 1.9 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed. Diabetes is a serious disease, which requires daily monitoring, a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise.

Exercise is an important factor in maintaining overall good health for everyone, especially for individuals with diabetes. Studies show as few as 39 percent of people with type 2 diabetes participate in regular physical activity, compared with 58 percent of other Americans. The fact is that exercise can help increase insulin action and keep blood sugars in check. Regular exercise can help to lose weight, and improve balance; and this is important because many people with type 2 diabetes are at risk for obesity and for falls.

Listed below are six great exercises for people with diabetes.

Walking done at a pace to raise the heart rate is an aerobic exercise, and studies show beneficial effects when people with diabetes participate in aerobic activities at least three days a week for a total of 150 minutes. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends people not go more than two consecutive days without an aerobic exercise session.

Tai Chi is ideal for people with diabetes because it provides fitness and stress reduction in one. Tai chi also improves balance and may reduce nerve damage, a common diabetic complication, although the latter benefit remains unproven.

Weight Training builds muscle mass, important for those with type 2 diabetes. If you lose muscle mass, you have a lot harder time maintaining your blood sugar. Plan for resistance exercise or weight training at least twice a week as part of your diabetic management plan — three is ideal, but always schedule a rest day between weight workouts (other exercise is fine on those days).

Yoga can help lower body fat, fight insulin resistance, and improve nerve function — all important when you have type 2 diabetes. Like tai chi, yoga is also a great diabetic stress reducer. When stress levels go higher, so do your blood sugar levels. One of the advantages of yoga as an exercise is that you can do it as often as you like.

Swimming is ideal for people with type 2 diabetes — doesn’t put pressure on joints. Swimming also is easier on your feet than other forms of exercise. Very often diabetes reduces blood flow to the small blood vessels of your extremities and you can lose sensation in your feet as a result. People with diabetes must avoid foot injuries, even minor cuts or blisters; because they are prone to infection (a good idea is water shoes).

Stationary Bike is ideal for people with diabetes because you can do it inside, no matter the weather, and you don’t have to worry about falling or having a flat and being a long way from home. Bicycling improves blood flow to your legs — a great benefit for people with diabetes — and burns lots of calories to keep your weight at healthy levels.

In Pregnancy, Diabetes-Obesity Combo a Major Red Flag

2011-07-28T00:40:00.000-07:00

In Pregnancy, Diabetes-Obesity Combo a Major Red Flag

Type 2 diabetes and obesity in pregnancy is a daunting duo, according to new research published this month in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine. The study shows that both conditions independently contribute to higher risks, opening the door to a wide range of pregnancy, delivery and newborn complications.

Study authors say the findings are important because obesity and type 2 diabetes are skyrocketing in women of childbearing age. A study in The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that between 2007 and 2008 the prevalence of obesity among adult women in the United States was more than 35 percent. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that approximately 11 percent of women above the age of 20 had diabetes in 2010.

Loralei Thornburg, M.D., senior study author and a high-risk pregnancy expert at the University of Rochester Medical Center, emphasizes that the research is needed now more than ever. “We’ve never seen the degree of obesity and type 2 diabetes in women that we are seeing right now, because for a very long time diabetes was a disease of an older population, so we rarely dealt with it in prenatal care. We hope this new knowledge will help physicians better understand and care for this rapidly expanding group of high-risk women.”

While numerous studies have established that obesity, in the absence of diabetes, is associated with problems in pregnancy – preterm birth, birth trauma, blood loss and a prolonged hospital stay, to name a few – less is known about type 2 diabetes and what causes difficulties when the two conditions coexist. Researchers from Rochester wanted to determine if obesity alone accounts for the increased risks in this “dual-diagnosis” group, or if diabetes plays a role as well.

To determine the influence of obesity and type 2 diabetes when the conditions coexist in pregnancy, Thornburg and lead study author Kristin Knight, M.D., used clinical records and the hospital’s birth certificate database to identify 213 pairs of women who delivered babies at the Medical Center between 2000 and 2008. Each pair included a diabetic and a non-diabetic patient with approximately the same pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). The majority of women in the study were overweight, obese or morbidly obese.

“We matched the pairs pound for pound, because if obesity was the main problem, we’d see similar outcomes between women, whether they had diabetes or not. But if we saw different outcomes between pairs, we’d know the diabetes was impacting outcomes as well,” said Thornburg.

Using mathematical models and controlling for outside factors, such as age and tobacco use, researchers found that the patients with type 2 diabetes had overall worse pregnancy, delivery and newborn outcomes than their BMI-matched counterparts. Specifically, diabetic patients had higher rates of preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, shoulder dystocia, preterm delivery, large for gestational age infant, fetal anomaly and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit.

“Women and their physicians need to be aware that each condition on its own increases risk in pregnancy, so when they coexist the situation is even more worrisome,” said Knight, a maternal fetal medicine fellow at Rochester. “Pregnancy is a time of great change, and fortunately many women are very open to making modifications during this period in their life. Anything a woman can do to improve her condition, from controlling blood sugar and exercising, to eating nutritious foods and maintaining an optimal weight, will help her deliver a healthier baby.”

Knight originally focused her research on the effects of type 1 and type 2 diabetes on pregnancy. In a previous study, she found that women with type 2 diabetes, most of whom were also obese, had poorer outcomes. Consequently, her research turned to obese, type 2 diabetics and their experiences in pregnancy.

“If a woman enters pregnancy obese, but hasn’t developed type 2 diabetes, she is in a better place than if she had both,” concluded Thornburg.

Mum Sheds 66kg to Beat Diabetes

2011-07-21T23:36:00.000-07:00

Mum Sheds 66kg to Beat Diabetes

AS ROCKHAMPTON'S Sandra Beutel watered her red begonia, she was reminded of the 30kg weight-loss milestone she'd reached on her huge journey of losing more than 66kg.

“Every 10 kilos I would lose, I would treat myself to a gift of some sort,” the 41-year-old said.

One gift to myself was a plant and every time I went to water it I could say that I lost 30kg to get this.”

Her two-year fitness transformation took the mother-of-three from 140kg to her goal of 74kg – a weight she hasn't been since her early teens – which she reached yesterday.

“After having my twins, I was around the 100kg mark, which is when I started to gain more weight,” Sandra said.

But after having her third child four years ago, Sandra was given the ultimatum that would eventually decide her fate.

“I had gestational diabetes and my doctor said I either had to start taking medication or lose weight, and I opted to lose weight,” Sandra said.

Sandra turned to Weight Watchers to start dropping the kilos, and has now been nominated for the group's annual Healthy Life Awards after losing 46% of her body weight.

“I am able to do a whole lot more than I ever have done before,” she said.

“My children are able to put their arms around me without any trouble at all, and my son loves that I am able to go bike riding with him.”

Sandra said it was getting so bad she had to inject herself with insulin and take naps during the day.

“Now I don't have to do that anymore, I feel so much more energised and able to do so much throughout the day.”

Weight Watchers will have an open day at their Canning St office on August 27 at 9.30am, where Sandra and other successful members from the Rockhampton area will speak to anyone interested in joining from the community.

Sandra will also be the Rockhampton Weight Watchers ambassador for the month of August as part of the open day.

Study Links Diabetes, Heart Disease to TV Viewing

2011-07-14T00:26:00.000-07:00

Study Links Diabetes, Heart Disease to TV Viewing

PARENTS who are less concerned about the number of hours their children and wards spent watching TV programmes and movies should note this, a new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) ,published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has revealed that prolonged TV viewing is associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and premature death.

According to a senior research author and Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at HSPH, Frank Hu, the message is simple, "cutting back on TV watching can significantly reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and premature mortality,"

"We should not only promote increasing physical activity levels but also reduce sedentary behaviours, especially prolonged TV watching," he added.

Hu and the first author of the study Anders Grontved, a doctoral student and visiting researcher in the HSPH Department of Nutrition, conducted a meta-analysis, a systematic assessment of all published studies from 1970 to 2011 that linked TV viewing with increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature death.

Eight large prospective cohort studies from the United States, Europe, and Australia met the researchers" criteria and were included in the meta-analysis.

The results showed that more than two hours of TV viewing per day increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and more than three hours of daily viewing increased risk of premature death.

"Sedentary lifestyle, especially prolonged TV watching, is clearly an important and modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease," GrÃ¸ntved added.

Pollutants Linked to Diabetes in New Study

2011-07-04T03:23:00.000-07:00

Pollutants Linked to Diabetes in New Study

People with higher levels of pesticides and other pollutants in their blood may be more likely to get type 2 diabetes, suggests a new study of elderly Swedes.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that these chemicals might drive changes in the body that lead to diabetes, researchers say, although they don't prove that one causes the other.

Taken together, the data suggest that there is more to the blood sugar disease than eating too much and not getting enough exercise, said Dr. David Carpenter, head of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany in New York.

The pollutants, including pesticides and poly-chlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are largely found in meat and fatty fish. Some of them, including PCBs — once used in paint, plastics, and for electrical equipment manufacturing — are heavily regulated and no longer used in many countries.

However, "the exposure to these chemicals in the general population still occurs because they have widely contaminated our food chain," study researcher Dr. Duk-Hee Lee, of Kyungpook National University in Daegu, South Korea, told Reuters Health in an email.

In the current study, Lee and colleagues sought to follow up on previous findings that had linked these chemicals with type 2 diabetes.

They recruited a group of 725 diabetes-free elderly adults in Sweden and took blood samples to measure their levels of the pollutants. Then, the researchers followed them for the next five years.

Thirty-six of the study participants were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over that time. When Lee's team accounted for other diabetes risks such as weight, exercise, and smoking, people who had high levels of PCBs were up to nine times more likely to get diabetes than those with very low pollutant levels in their blood.

The link was smaller for some pesticides, while others weren't linked to diabetes at all, according to the findings, which are published in the journal Diabetes Care.

The authors note that the number of new diabetes cases was low, and the findings can't prove that PCBs or other pollutants cause diabetes.

But research suggesting that's the case is piling up, said Carpenter, who was not involved in the new study.

More than eight percent of the U.S. population has diabetes, according to the National Institutes of Health — most of them type 2 diabetes.

Many studies have linked type 2 diabetes to overweight, lack of exercise and high blood pressure. In the new study, a big waistline was also a diabetes risk factor.

The authors speculate that long-term exposure to environmental pollutants could affect cells in the pancreas that secrete insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar.

It would make sense that heavier people are more at risk of diabetes, Carpenter added, because they're also probably eating more fatty meat and fish high in these chemicals — and they have more fat themselves where these chemicals are stored.

While researchers try to clear up just which pollutants may be linked to diabetes and how, strategies for preventing diabetes don't change much, Carpenter said.

"I think the message isn't really so different as it was when we thought diabetes was only a lifestyle disease," he said. "It is important to reduce your consumption of animal fat," and to be aware of how much fatty fish you're eating.

Lee added that eating more vegetables and other plant-based foods, as well as exercising, can help the body get rid of these pollutants.

Cost of Diabetes in Australia Soars

2011-06-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

Cost of Diabetes in Australia Soars

The cost of diabetes to Australia is alarming.. that's been borne out by two separate reports last week.

The number of Australian children with Type 1 diabetes is already high by international standards, but the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimates the number will have jumped by a further ten percent in the five years to 2013.

The findings come amid calls for annual kidney screening tests to pick up the early signs of kidney disease helping those with Type 2, or adult-onset diabetes.

Experts say the screening would be at least as cost-effective as breast cancer screening has proven to be.

Schools Failing Diabetes Pupils

2011-06-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

Schools Failing Diabetes Pupils

Northern Ireland's education department is failing the needs of diabetic pupils who need regular insulin injections, the charity Diabetes UK has said.

While some primary school teachers have agreed to give pupils lunchtime insulin injections, others are refusing.

The teachers said that, according to the guidance received from the department, it is the responsibility of parents and not the schools.

The department said it was working with education boards to resolve the issue.

SDLP MLA Conall McDevitt is a member of the Assembly education committee.

He has a seven-year-old daughter who suffers from type one diabetes.

'Out of date'

Mr McDevitt said new guidelines were needed for the school-time treatment of diabetic children.

"The guidelines that the department have are totally out of date.

"They are basically making it impossible, except by voluntary agreement, for children to receive their lunchtime insulin injections while at school.

"This is, basically, undermining some children's right to an education."

Diabetes UK spokesperson Florence Findlay White said each diabetic child had a care plan that was implemented by specialist nurses.

"We would like to see every school which has a child with diabetes have somebody in that school who has the knowledge and the understanding and training to be able to supervise and administer insulin, if that's what's necessary, and to know how to look after that child if their blood sugar is too high or too low."

The minister of education was not available for comment, but in a statement the department said: "Training is offered to all school principals to help them meet the needs of children with medication needs.

"However, there is no legal duty that requires school staff to administer medication. This is a voluntary role."

Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise in Children

2011-06-11T00:37:00.000-07:00

Type 2 Diabetes on the Rise in Children

Just a few years ago type two diabetes was referred to as adult onset because it mainly affected older people. But that has changed.

Unfortunately we're seeing more and more children develop type two diabetes. The reason? Lifestyle.

According to the director of Bay County's diabetes center, Jo Colville, "We are a heavy population. Florida is one of the heaviest. And weight tends to trigger diabetes, especially type two diabetes in individuals and so we're seeing an increase number of those."

With 25 percent of the population projected to have diabetes by the year 2050, Colville says we need to fight the problem now.

"Super sized industry that has taken over America in terms of eating habits you know it's got to get back to the old tried and true; eating specific portions and that will definitely help control blood sugars, prevent obesity and get us to be a healthier nation."

But watching what you eat isn't the only concern.

Colville says, "Exercise plays an important part as well and that too is something we don't do as much as we did back in the 50s, 60s and 70s, and so that's contributing to the obesity and contributing to the diabetes."

According to Colville, a great place to start is with our kids.

"Especially PE in school that is something that probably needs to come back in order to improve children's health since we're seeing so many children with type two diabetes and obesity; that's a huge issue and I hope that educational leaders will consider that in the future."

Being diagnosed with diabetes is shocking enough. Now, some patients are learning they suffer from two different types of diabetes at the same time. It's being called type 3 diabetes, a new and dangerous condition that has health officials concerned.

Diabetes 3 means the brain is no longer secreting enough insulin and in turn the brain's cells will deteriorate. As the brain cells stop working, the brain's receptors also decline in function. Some believe Alzheimer's is actually diabetes type 3.

How To Control Type 2 Diabetes In Three Steps

2011-05-30T23:16:00.000-07:00

How To Control Type 2 Diabetes In Three Steps

Mainstream medicine still claims that there is no cure for diabetes. However, many people are curing this debilitating condition every day.

This article explains how it is possible and outlines three action steps that you can take to prevent or even reverse type 2 diabetes naturally.

In diabetes, glucose builds up in the bloodstream because it's having trouble getting into the cells where it belongs. As a result, it may damage blood vessels of your organs such as kidneys and heart.

But why is that? Glucose uses insulin to open channels in the cell's outer membrane so that it can pass through. The problem is that during diabetes insulin is no longer able to open up the cell.

Suddenly, you may start experiencing unusual thirst, extreme hunger, fatigue, blurred vision and other symptoms of type 2 diabetes. The following three steps will allow you to control diabetes more effectively:

Improve your diet. Stop eating all refined sugars, processed foods and dairy products. Start consuming fresh whole foods high in fiber. These dietary modifications will help you balance your blood sugar, reduce inflammation and turn on all the right gene messages that are necessary for controlling diabetes.
Keep off the excess weight. Most people with diabetes are overweight or obese. Exercise can help with weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity. It's simple - regular physical activity is a powerful way to reduce blood sugar and reduce your risk of complications. Talk to your health care provider about what kind of exercise is appropriate for you. Even a 30 minute walk a day can have a huge impact on controlling type 2 diabetes.
Embrace the power of herbs. Diabetes symptoms can be controlled with many herbal remedies. More specifically, scientific research is now shedding more light on healing properties of various plants that either control blood sugar (bilberry, salt bush) or treat the side effects of diabetes (ginkgo biloba).

It's important to realize that high blood sugar is only a symptom - not the cause of diabetes. The real problem is a diet high in carbohydrates and processed foods together with an unhealthy lifestyle. This is why you won't find the answer to your condition in a pill bottle.

Diabetes Doesn't Slow Charlie Kimball

2011-05-23T23:56:00.000-07:00

Diabetes Doesn't Slow Charlie Kimball

Diagnosed four years ago with Type I diabetes that sidelined him for a year, Kimball is attempting to become the IndyCar Series' first licensed driver with the disease to race in the Indianapolis 500. Extensive research on the disease (including whether others have raced with it) convinced the rookie he wouldn't be affected as long as he followed precautions including glucose-monitoring mechanisms in his No. 83 Dallara/Honda.

Not only has it provided a full-season ride with Chip Ganassi Racing, but an insulin technology sponsor and platform to speak on.

"People who may aspire to be driver, when they're diagnosed, see that door as being closed, and I aim to prove otherwise," said Kimball, 26. "Because you're diagnosed doesn't mean you can't chase your dream and live your passion.

"The modern insulins, blood sugar testing, the monitor I wear, the understanding of the physiology and the science behind diabetes and good glucose control and management means I have better tools than ever before to race cars professionally. All the new technologies in the last 10, 20, years not only have made this possible, I can continue to compete. I want to prove that I'm a racing driver, and diabetes is part of who I am."

Wednesday's misty conditions canceled practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, denying the English-born Californian a chance to gain laps in his Honda, supported by Levemir and Novolog FlexPen, which delivers insulin. His steering wheel features a glucose monitor while the dash features a blood-sugar gauge that his physician and pit crew can access as well. A hydration bladder feeds him orange juice or sugar water.

His car number is an ode to the year that Ganassi, who has won three Indy 500s as an owner including last year, finished a career-best eighth as a driver at the Brickyard. Finally, Kimball's father, Gordon, worked for McLaren, Benetton and Ferrari and helped build engines that won at Indy in the 1980s.

Though weather has slowed Kimball's oval introduction at Indy — he passed last weekend's Rookie Orientation Program — his road course background has helped his IndyCar get off to a solid start. A 10th-place run at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham, Ala., highlighted that early-season stretch on road and street courses, and he stands 21st in points, 110 behind leader Will Power.

He enters Indy with the benefit of two title-winning teammates that have won the Greatest Spectacle in Racing — Scott Dixon and defending champion Dario Franchitti— as well as Graham Rahal, son of 1986 winner Bobby Rahal and the series' youngest race winner. That has him confident of earning one of 24 spots in Saturday's qualifying.

"I looked for precedents, and that gave me an indication that I'd be able to do this," said Kimball, who deferred entrance to Stanford to pursue his dream. "For a while my racing was self-centric, but now I'm doing this to make a difference and have an impact."

Fasting Cuts Risk for Heart Disease and Diabetes

2011-05-18T23:42:00.000-07:00

Fasting Cuts Risk for Heart Disease and Diabetes

Researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center's Heart Institute in Utah have found that regular fasting cuts the risk of both heart disease and diabetes. The study comes from Utah because the state's large number of Mormon residents are asked to fast at least once a month. For many of them, not eating at all has real, long-lasting health benefits.

"Utahns and LDS [Latter Day Saints] people have a lower risk of cardiac mortality. Even today, despite the fact that smoking rates have declined in most states, and quite considerably in some states, the Utah rate of cardiac death is much lower than in most states," said Dr. Benjamin Horne, one of the team of researchers at the institute.

How does it work? Basically, fasting allows the body to burn fat as fuel, Horne said, and that reduces its overall number of fat cells. Fewer fat cells mean lower cholesterol, increased insulin sensitivity, and a lower risk of diabetes.

Researchers first looked at fasting back in 2007. That initial round of work suggested that it cut the risk of heart disease. Their new findings show that it can improve other measures of heart health and overall wellness, such as weight, blood sugar, and triglycerides.

Utah, with its sizable Mormon population, was the perfect place for the study, Horne said. While other religions include fasting, they don't make a habit of it. "Most of the world's population doesn't fast on a regular basis," he said.

Doctors involved in the study want to continue examining the benefits of fasting, a topic that hasn't been studied in depth. They plan on using a grant from the Deseret Foundation-a nonprofit connected to the institute-to continue their work, concentrating on how fasting might help those already managing heart disease and diabetes.

Interested in trying out fasting for yourself? Horne recommends that you look before you leap. Some people simply shouldn't fast for health reasons. "People have to be careful," he said. "If there is some interest, they ought to talk to their physician first."

The Intermountain Medical Center scientists presented their findings at the American College of Cardiology in New Orleans in April.

Connecting Diabetes and Dementia

2011-05-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

Connecting Diabetes and Dementia

Diabetes and dementia have a connection, and what we can do to delay it will be on the table during a diabetes education event in Sidney.

“I am clarifying the ties between dementia and diabetes,” said Dr. Dorothy (Sam) Williams, of her speaking engagement on May 14 at the Mary Winspear Centre.

Williams is vice-chief of Geriatric Medicine for the Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA), chief of staff for the VIHA South Island region, and acting chief of staff for Vancouver Island. She is a full-time clinician in geriatrics, a clinical instructor with the Department of Internal Medicine at UBC, a past president of the Medical Staff Association for South Island, and a member of the provincial Physician Health Program’s “Physicians Advocating Wellness” groups.

She’ll speak on Brain Function and Diabetes … What is the connection? during the Canadian Diabetic Association Vancouver Island regional annual meeting.

“Given that those high prevalence rates for both diabetes and dementia it really is increasing the awareness in the research world that this association has to be looked at and has enormous public impact,” she said. “We know that if you have diabetes you are more likely to develop a dementia. What we don’t yet know is if you have diabetes and you’re treated, will that decrease your chance of dementia?”

It’s unknown if treatment for diabetes has an ongoing effect on dementia

That’s where the research world is now turning to,” she explained. In 25 years of research into dementia there’s nothing to treat the illness; treatments are symptomatic only, Williams noted.

“If treating diabetes can slow down the dementing process that would be the first time that has ever been shown.”

She feels the world is paying attention because of the pandemic in diabetes primarily caused by change in diet and obesity.

“At the end of the day it’s everybody that needs to hear this,” she said. The common sense treatments suggested, losing weight, eating healthier and changing lifestyle are still the best options. “We keep coming back full circle. At the very base of it is lifestyle modification.”

Williams speaks during the diabetes education event and annual general meeting Saturday, May 14 at 8:45 a.m.

Exercise in Diabetes

2011-05-12T00:37:00.000-07:00

Exercise in Diabetes

Exercise is an important part of diabetes combating regime. Eating low sugar diet and healthy food only helps in curbing the problem to some extent. However, doing exercise regularly cuts the risk of type 1 and 2 diabetes largely in patients. Generally, diabetes is caused due to increased blood sugar level and extra weight. Doing cardio like walking, cycling, swimming, etc regularly lowers down the sugar level and keeps the sugar under control. It also reduces the need of insulin and medicine.

If you are suffering from diabetes problem then you should start doing it today. The best thing about doing exercise is that it is easier than taking insulin injection. Excess of weight has direct connection with diabetes. However, it is necessary for you to get your weight checked. Try to lose moderate amount of weight to bring your diabetes in control. Exercising includes lots of benefit like proper blood circulation, heart pumping, calories burning, body strengthening, metabolism boosting etc. Doing exercise for 30 to 60 minutes daily benefits the patients by cutting down intake of insulin. Include cardiovascular activities like running, aerobics and cycling as part of your daily routine.

Researchers have found that the risk of type 2 diabetes can be reduced by 50 percent, if one does an hour of moderate exercise daily. Normal cycling, brisk walking, swimming lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Physical activity not only reduces weight but also improves insulin sensitivity. Working out makes one feel fresh, increases stamina, and lighten up mood. It is always beneficial to do exercises to stay healthy and fit.

Diabetes in Kids Comes With Hefty Price Tag

2011-05-10T00:25:00.000-07:00

Diabetes in Kids Comes With Hefty Price Tag

Medical costs for children and teens with diabetes are six times higher than for other young people in the United States, a new study finds.

Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined health insurance claims made in 2007 for nearly 50,000 youth aged 19 and younger, including 8,226 with diabetes.

Annual medical expenses for youth with diabetes were $9,061, compared with $1,468 for those without diabetes. Prescription drugs and outpatient care accounted for much of the extra medical costs.

The highest medical costs were for youth with diabetes who required insulin, which included all those with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2 diabetes. The annual medical expenses for those who received insulin were $9,333, compared to $5,683 for youth with diabetes who did not require insulin.

Medical costs for all Americans with diabetes, most of whom are adults, are 2.3 times higher than for those without diabetes, according to the CDC's 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet.

The diabetes-related difference in medical costs may be greater among young people than adults due to higher medication costs, visits to specialists and medical supplies such as insulin syringes and glucose testing strips, according to the researchers.

They noted that 92 percent of youth with diabetes required insulin, compared to 26 percent of adults with diabetes.

Diabetes Costs Are High for Young People

2011-05-04T00:54:00.000-07:00

Diabetes Costs Are High for Young People

Young people who have diabetes face much higher medical bills than children and teenagers who do not have the disease, and much of the extra tab is due to prescription drugs and outpatient care, the CDC says.

A new CDC study says the annual medical expense for young people with diabetes totals about $9,061, vs. $1,468 for teens and kids without the disease.

The young people with the highest medical costs in the study were treated with insulin, which is typically used by patients with type 1 diabetes, also known as juvenile diabetes, and sometimes used in type 2 diabetes, which more commonly develops after childhood.

Patients with type 1 diabetes can’t make insulin and thus must receive insulin treatment.

Some patients with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin to control their blood glucose levels and also are treated with insulin.

Insulin Treatment Raises Costs

In the study, children and teens age 19 or younger who received insulin treatment had average annual medical costs of $9,333. Those who did not receive insulin but did take oral medications to control blood glucose spent on average $5,683.

The study investigated medical costs for children and teenagers 19 or younger who were covered by employer-sponsored health insurance plans in 2007. Estimates were based on claims data on nearly 50,000 young people, including 8,226 with diabetes.

“Young people with diabetes face medical costs that are six times higher than their peers without diabetes,” the CDC’s Ann Albright, PhD, RD, says in a news release. Albright is director of the CDC’s division of diabetes translation. “Most youth with diabetes need insulin to survive, and the medical costs for young people on insulin were almost 65% higher than those who did not require insulin to treat their diabetes.”

Most people with diabetes are adults. The CDC says medical costs for people with diabetes are 2.3 times higher than costs for those who do not have the disease.

Researchers say the difference in medical costs associated with diabetes may be greater for youths than for adults because of higher medication expenses, more visits to specialists, and medical equipment such as syringes to deliver insulin, as well as glucose testing strips.

The CDC says 92% of youths with diabetes are treated with insulin, compared to 26% of adults with the disease.

Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes

There is no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes, which is believed to be caused by genetic and environmental factors, although the exact cause is unknown. It develops when the body’s immune system prevents the pancreas from producing adequate insulin.

In type 2 diabetes, which is associated with obesity, older age, heredity, physical inactivity, and other factors, the body is unable to properly handle or produce insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is fairly uncommon in young people 10 to 19, though rates are higher in this age group than in younger children.

Diabetes: A Rising Nationwide Health Concern

2011-04-28T00:38:00.000-07:00

Diabetes: A Rising Nationwide Health Concern

Diabetes has quickly become a rising nationwide health concern. According to the Centers for Disease Control, it affects approximately 8.3 percent of the U. S. population, which includes nearly 7 million people that have yet to be medically diagnosed with the disease. Type II Diabetes is responsible for 90-95% of all diabetes cases in the U.S.; the remaining 5-10% are Type I.

Early detection and treatment is crucial to the lifelong health of a diabetic individual. Currently the best detection tool available to diagnose and monitor diabetes is a hemoglobin A1c test which reflects the average blood sugar level of a person over the past three months.

People with Type II Diabetes either do no secrete enough insulin, or the insulin that is produced is not properly utilized by muscle and fat cells (insulin resistance) resulting in hyperglycemia. A person with Type I Diabetes is unable to produce insulin at all.

There are various factors that contribute to the development of diabetes such as excess weight, sedentary lifestyle, fast distribution and diet (habitual excessive fat or carbohydrate intake and Vitamin D deficiency). High stress and genetics can also play a role in the development of the disease.

The symptoms of Type II Diabetes can vary among individuals and in many cases, no symptoms are present. Common symptoms may include extreme thirst or hunger, dry mouth, unexplained weight loss, blurred vision, fatigue and weakness, slow healing sores, headaches, frequent urination, itching of the skin or numbness and tingling of the hands and feet.

There are a variety of medication options available to treat and control diabetes; however the key to maintaining healthy glucose levels is through the implementation of a healthy diet and exercise routine.

Oral diabetes medications help to control blood glucose levels in individuals whose body still produces some insulin. A combination of oral medications is often used to attain optimal blood glucose control. People whose bodies are no longer able to release insulin due to their existing high blood sugar levels often require insulin injections, alone or in combination with oral medications, to manage their diabetes.

If left untreated, diabetes increases an individual’s risk of stroke, heart attack, skin infections, neuropathy and sexual dysfunction. It’s imperative to seek out medical attention if you feel you are at risk or exhibiting symptoms of the diabetes.

Gestational Diabetes Diet Menu for Safe Pregnancy

2011-04-23T00:45:00.000-07:00

Gestational Diabetes Diet Menu for Safe Pregnancy

A further indicator of diabetes is a sudden reduction in weight. It is important that mothers and fathers consider this signal each significant and discuss to their pediatrician.

Diaper Rash: These are rather unpleasant for the toddlers. If these rashes are not healing even right after applying the ointments then it is far better to request for medical tips.

Tiredness: The kids who undergo from diabetes also experience from weakness. The system is unable to produce energy through the consumed meals so the youngster feels tired and fatigued.

Apart from over pointed out indications of diabetes, the kid starts to really feel dizzy, depressed and nauseous.

Gestational diabetes is a ailment that impacts pregnant women.

If you are pregnant, you really should be mindful of the indications of gestational diabetes so that you can seek out health care consideration immediately.

While you may well not have diabetes and may possibly under no circumstances have diabetes about the span of your lifestyle, you could be at possibility for establishing gestational diabetes.

Diabetes is a issue in which you body fails to covert sugar appropriately.

This excess sugar builds up in the physique and can be probably fatal if left unchecked. Even though this issue can be brought on by genetic disposition, diet plan, and other exterior components, girls who are pregnant are also at danger for a exceptional kind of the illness.

Generally, when the baby is born, the diabetes will disappear and might not appear if you turn out to be pregnant with yet another little one.

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

Approximately 1 in 25 pregnant females is impacted by gestational diabetes.

Usually, this variety of diabetes will come about in the course of the final three months of the pregnancy , but may well most likely come about in advance of that time.

The surge of hormones that are existing even though you are pregnant can entirely modify your physique chemistry.

In addition, these hormones can make a person who has under no circumstances had any complications converting sugars in their human body instantly unable to do so correctly.

The certain hormones that are thought to be the root cause of the challenge arrive from the placenta.

Although not all gals are very likely to develop gestational diabetes, you might be far more at possibility if you are obese or expecting above the age of thirty.

Indicators Of Gestational Diabetes

The most typical symptoms related with gestational diabetes are serious hunger and thirst .

Despite the fact that a growling belly is certainly no stranger to a pregnant girl, any serious emotions may be signs of a difficulty.

Involved with the elevated liquid intake is an increased urinary output. Once more, this is a prevalent complaint for pregnant adult females, but any intense urination should be noted.

Other indicators involve blurred vision and excess excess weight attain.

If you think that you are suffering from any of these signs or symptoms, get in touch with your obstetrician.

He or she will operate a test to see whether or not you have developed gestational diabetes.

What To Do Following Diagnosis

If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, look at perusing up on the sickness by itself.

Training is the critical to acceptance and can make a condition that seems scary very livable, at minimum until eventually the birth of your little one.

Parents, Kids and Genetic Testing For Adult-Onset Diseases

2011-04-19T23:57:00.000-07:00

Parents, Kids and Genetic Testing For Adult-Onset Diseases

Direct-to-consumer genetic tests are controversial, with Congress last year scrutinizing their scientific accuracy and marketing practices. There’s also a philosophical debate raging about whether the public is ready for the type of information currently available about the risk of certain diseases.

But what about kids? A study published online in Pediatrics finds that some parents, at least, are willing to have their children tested to see their genetic risk of developing adult-onset diseases and conditions including diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and certain forms of cancer.

With a few exceptions, the information you can get from these tests isn’t particularly definitive. It might indicate you have an above average chance of developing heart disease, but that doesn’t mean you’ll get it. And if you’re deemed to be at below-average risk, that doesn’t guarantee you won’t.

The survey covered 219 parents who were already interested enough in the topic to have participated in a large study on attitudes about testing for themselves. And respondents were on average more willing than not — 4.3 on a scale of 1 (not at all likely) to 7 (very likely) — to say they’d be willing to have their kids tested for the diseases. The survey also found that parents who intended to get tested themselves were more willing to consider getting their kids tested, too. Study authors urge pediatricians to anticipate parents’ questions about this kind of testing.

There’s one camp that says young people deserve to have preserved “their right to have and not have that information,” which means pushing off a decision until “they’re at a stage to make that choice,” study lead author Kenneth Tercyak, associate professor of oncology and pediatrics at Georgetown University Medical Center’s Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, tells the Health Blog. (To this point, testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, which can indicate a significantly higher chance of developing breast and ovarian cancers, isn’t recommended for those under 18.)

But Tercyak notes that “parents make decisions on their children’s behalf all the time,” and that many are intrigued by the notion that genetic information might serve as a “teachable moment” to help kids adopt healthier eating or exercise habits in order to manage their risks.”It’s very difficult to help adults lose weight and exercise more, so the idea that we could begin to implement changes during childhood for true primary prevention is appealing,” he says.

Research is increasingly showing that adopting — or not adopting — healthy lifestyle habits as a kid or teen can affect the odds of developing heart disease as an adult.

Tercyak says, though, that it’s still an open question whether genetic information can provide a teachable moment. And we wonder: if a kid learns he’s at a lower-than-average risk of high cholesterol as an adult, would that encourage him to stay inside for another round of Halo rather than go outside and kick a soccer ball around?

How Can Metabolic Surgery Cure Diabetes So Fast?

2011-04-16T01:38:00.000-07:00

How Can Metabolic Surgery Cure Diabetes So Fast?

"Since the recovery from diabetes occurs so early, a process other than weight loss has to be behind it. If we can identify and imitate this process, it could lead to entirely new ways of treating type 2 diabetes", says Nils Wierup, one of the researchers behind the study.

There is a strong correlation between being overweight or obese and type 2 diabetes, and many diabetics can recover if they lose weight, but this is not the focus of the study. Instead, the focus is on a side effect the astonishingly fast normalisation of the glucose homeostasis which is seen in 85 per cent of diabetics after metabolic surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery means rerouting food content directly to the small intestine, bypassing the stomach. This means that portion sizes have to become smaller and weight loss in the long term becomes significant.

"We don't mean that everyone with type 2 diabetes should undergo surgery, but maybe we can learn to achieve the same anti-diabetic effect without the surgery", says Nils Wierup.

Patients who will be invited to participate in the study are type 2 diabetics who are going to have gastric bypass surgery. They will undergo a variety of tests both before and periodically after the surgery.

The research team will also use pigs, both healthy and diabetic, for experiments that cannot be performed on patients.

"Pigs are suitable because they resemble humans in many ways, including anatomically and in terms of gastrointestinal hormones", says Nils Wierup, adding that it is possible that a less extensive gastric bypass may have the same dramatic effects.

"In that case the area we need to search will be smaller, and the mechanism we are searching for will be easier to find."

On the list of suspected factors are changes in the effects of gastrointestinal hormones. It is known that hormone secretion from the gastrointestinal tract plays an important role in glucose homeostasis. Gastric bypass surgery changes the conditions. Metabolic surgery might also drastically change the gastrointestinal bacterial flora since the pH changes, and this should mean that other species of bacteria can establish themselves.

"But it could also be a completely different mechanism. We have to look at a great variety of possible factors", says Hindrik Mulder, one of the researchers on the team.

Are You at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?

2011-04-13T23:55:00.000-07:00

Are You at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes?

Are you at risk?

Among the primary risk factors for type 2 diabetes:

Being overweight

Leading a sedentary lifestyle

Being over the age of 45

Having a family history of diabetes

Blacks, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, women who had gestational diabetes and women who have had a baby weighing 9 pounds or more at birth have an increased risk.

The American Diabetes Association is rallying a target of 1 million people to take the Diabetes Risk Test through April 22 in hopes of identifying thousands who might be at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

The test, which can be taken by telephone or on the Internet, asks participants to answer a few questions about their weight, age, family history and other potential risk factors. It's followed up with correspondence from the ADA that will address specific needs of each participant.

"The test enables callers to determine whether they are at low, moderate or high risk for pre-diabetes or diabetes," said Elizabeth Huggins, a certified diabetes educator and Hilton Head Hospital's diabetes education coordinator. "Those at high risk will be encouraged to talk with their health care provider for further testing."

DIABETES BY THE NUMBERS

Diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans. Another 79 million American adults have pre-diabetes, placing them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. If current trends continue, one in three American adults will have diabetes by 2050.

"Unfortunately, people with type 2 diabetes can live for years without realizing that they have the disease," Huggins said.

People with diabetes can exhibit noticeable symptoms, such as frequent urination, blurred vision and excessive thirst, but most people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes do not show these warning signs at the time they develop the disease.

Often, type 2 diabetes only becomes evident when people develop serious complications ancillary to the disorder, such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, eye damage or nerve damage that can lead to amputations.

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH

Studies have shown that type 2 diabetes can be prevented or delayed by losing 7 percent of body weight through regular physical activity (30 minutes a day, five days a week) and healthy eating. By understanding your risk, you can take the necessary steps to help prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.

Salt Levels Key to Reducing Diseases Like Diabetes

2011-04-12T00:40:00.000-07:00

Salt Levels Key to Reducing Diseases Like Diabetes

Reducing tobacco and salt use could be one of the answers to preventing many deaths that result from non-communicable diseases like heart disease, stroke and diabates, a new study shows.

According to health experts, NCDs are diseases that cannot directly be passed on from person to person, yet they cause severe adverse effects on people’s lives including death. These diseases are acquired over a period of time and the key risk factors are physical inactivity like exercise, inappropriate diet that is usually rich in fat, salt and sugar and excessive consumption of alcohol.

Some of these other diseases include cancers, and chronic respiratory infections. The study published in the medical journal, the Lancet says the top priority must now be on reducing tobacco use and lowering salt intake.

According to the authors, by 2025, salt intake per person should reduce to less than 5g per person, arguing that reducing salt consumption by just 15 per cent through aggressive campaigns would prevent an estimated 8.5 million deaths over a 10-year period.

Reduce tobacco
Reducing tobacco use, they argue, should be done through the already existing Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

“Achieving this goal would prevent at least 5.5 million premature deaths over 10 years,”the survey shows.
According to the authors, NCDs are becoming a huge public health threat with two out of every three deaths worldwide.

“Reducing tobacco and salt use, improving diets and physical activity, reducing hazardous alcohol intake and achieving universal access to essential drugs and technologies have been chosen for their health effects, cost-effectiveness, low costs of implementation and political and financial feasibility,” the study shows.

The results of the survey come ahead of a September UN high level meeting called to tackle NCDs. “The most important outcome of the UN high level meeting on NCDs will be sustained and strong high-level political support for a framework of specific commitments to tackle the NCD crisis as part of a costed national health plan,” the study said.

“The aim is to reduce NCD death rates by 2 per cent per year which will avert an estimated 36 million deaths over 10 years,” they added.

Diabetes Linked to Higher Parkinson's Disease Risk

2011-04-09T00:13:00.000-07:00

Diabetes Linked to Higher Parkinson's Disease Risk

People with diabetes may have a slightly increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study suggests -- though the reasons for the link, researchers say, are far from clear.

The study, of nearly 289,000 older U.S. adults, found that those with diabetes at the outset were more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson's over the next 15 years.

Of 21,600 participants with diabetes, 172 (0.8 percent) were eventually diagnosed with Parkinson's. That compared with 1,393 cases (0.5 percent) among the 267,000 men and women who were diabetes-free at the study's start.

When the researchers accounted for other factors -- like age, weight and smoking habits -- diabetes itself was linked to a 41 percent increase in the risk of future Parkinson's.

That, however, does not prove that diabetes is a cause of Parkinson's, and the reasons for the connection remain unknown, said senior researcher Dr. Honglei Chen, of the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

"Really, the evidence at this time is very preliminary," Chen told Reuters Health.

People with diabetes, he said, should simply continue to do the things already recommended for their overall health -- eating a well-balanced diet and getting regular exercise.

Chen and his colleagues report the findings in the April issue of the journal Diabetes Care.

Diabetes and Parkinson's disease would seem, at first, to be unrelated.

Diabetes arises when the body can no longer properly use the blood-sugar-regulating hormone insulin. Parkinson's is a brain disease in which movement-regulating cells in the brain die off or become disabled, leading to symptoms like tremors, rigidity in the joints, slowed movement and balance problems.

But Chen said the connection between diabetes and Parkinson's risk could mean that the two diseases share some underlying mechanisms.

One possibility, he speculated, is chronic, low-level inflammation throughout the body, which is suspected of contributing to a number of chronic diseases by damaging cells. Oxidation - the process fought by anti-oxidants - is another.

On the other hand, Chen and his colleagues say, there might be something about diabetes - like a problem regulating insulin -- that contributes to Parkinson's. But that remains to be proven.

A few large studies have looked at the diabetes-Parkinson's link before, with conflicting results.

The current study, Chen said, included a larger number of people with Parkinson's. And unlike most past studies, it looked at the duration of people's diabetes.

Guidelines for Diabetes

2011-04-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Guidelines for Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease in which the body produces no insulin hormone, or the body does not consider the insulin it produces. The body must have and use insulin to survive. Diabetes is a chronic and life-threatening disease if not treated properly. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has developed national guidelines for the treatment of diabetes.

Diagnosis

ADA guidelines recommend a diagnosis of diabetes be taken depending on the symptoms, a greater than 200 fasting plu 126, a random glucose sugar and a test result of hemoglobin A1c (diabetes) more than 6 per cent.

Drugs

ADA recommendations short and quick-produced insulin to insulin-dependent diabetics. Those who are not insulin dependent can take oral medications that help to use insulin better body.

Diet

ADA guidelines recommend maintaining a healthy weight with a lot of fruit and non-starch vegetables (colored dark), fish, lean meat, non-fat dairy products, whole grains, beans and water. The ADA says that no food is “closed” as long as it is part of a balanced diet.

Exercise

ADA guidelines recommend the daily exercise to make the body more sensitive to insulin. Exercise uses more glucose, reduced the quantity of insulin or oral drugs, maintains a healthy weight, lowers blood pressure, strengthens the bones stronger and helps to manage stress.

Warning

Poorly controlled diabetes can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney damage, hypertension, eye, nerve damage, wound healing sickness, frequent hospitalizations, coma and death.

Penn Researcher Links DNA Aging Clock to Diabetes

2011-03-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

Penn Researcher Links DNA Aging Clock to Diabetes

Though some people stay energetic and wrinkle-free longer than others, we're all programmed to break down, deteriorate, and eventually, to die.

In our cells are tiny aging clocks made from pieces of DNA called telomeres. Rather than holding genes, the telomeres cap the ends of our DNA strands, preventing them from fatal fraying. Over the years, the telomeres shorten, like candle wicks, until they reach their ends.

Now, scientists are learning how Type 2 diabetes - the most common kind - is linked to the shortening of those telomeres.

On Tuesday at the University of Pennsylvania, medical researcher Mary Armanios spoke about her latest results in telomeres and diabetes - showing how the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas shut down when their telomeres erode to the end.

That understanding, she said, could lead to new approaches to treat or prevent the disease, which is growing more prevalent.

She presented her findings this month in the journal Public Library of Science One.

Armanios, who works at Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, said she became interested in studying telomeres after meeting a college-age man with gray hair, lung problems, and bone-marrow failure, all caused by a genetic disease called dyskeratosis congenita. People with the disease have very short telomeres, so their aging clocks run out of time unusually fast.

The telomeres are often compared to caps on shoelaces because, when intact, they protect the parts of the genetic code at the ends of chromosomes.

Every time a cell divides, the telomeres get a little shorter. Once they're gone, a mechanism kicks in that causes the cells to die.

This might seem like something medical science would be scrambling to stop, but the cell death protects us from cancer by eventually stopping malignant cells from growing. So we can't just turn the whole thing off.

In her work, Armanios uses genetically engineered mice with unusually short telomeres, making these already short-lived creatures even quicker to gray and grow old. Besides all their other problems, these mice quickly develop high blood sugar, the hallmark of diabetes.

What seemed to be happening, she said, was that the animals' short telomeres were causing the premature shutdown of insulin-secreting cells. These cells aren't dead but put up a closed-for-business sign and stop doing anything. Armanios said perhaps their research would point to a way to wake them up.

5 Ways to Live With Diabetes

2011-03-30T00:15:00.000-07:00

5 Ways to Live With Diabetes

Chances are, if you're African American, you know someone with diabetes. We, as a culture, are disproportionately affected by this very serious disease. In fact, 14.7 percent of African Americans over 20 years old have diabetes. This isn't just a miniscule problem in our community; it's an epidemic.

The good news is, diabetes is not a death sentence. There are things we can do to keep diabetes under control, and even prevent the onset. We spoke to Constance Brown-Riggs, author of Living Well With Diabetes, to get a better idea of the disease and what we can do to keep ourselves healthy. While not a sufferer herself, Brown-Riggs got into studying diabetes because, like most of us, a lot of her family members have been stricken.

Here are a few tips and tricks Constance shared with us to keep us on track for a healthy life.

1. Accept the diagnosis!
According to Brown-Riggs, a lot of people struggling with diabetes are also fighting what she calls "deny-abetes." This is the tendency for adults to ignore their diagnosis and continue to live life as they did before this disease.

Instead of pretending it does not exist, "watching blood sugars, frequent exercise, watching carbohydrate intake and getting off any dangerous medications" will help put diabetes under control. These methods (under the advice of your physician, of course) are all very simple and effective ways to regulate your condition and prolong your life.

2. "Diabetes doesn't have to take the sweetness out of life."
Constance shared with us a bit of information that is sure to bring relief to diabetics around the world: "It is a myth that people living with diabetes cannot have any sugar at all," she states. There are a number of diabetes-friendly diets that include options such as ice cream.

The problem is not in the sugar intake; it is the fact that people are not monitoring the amounts of certain foods they are having. Paying attention to how much of each food you are eating will make a huge difference.

3. "Don't major in minors."
Lots of people diagnosed with diabetes spend so much time trying to nitpick every single thing they eat, which can often lead to frustration. Frustration, in turn, can very easily lead to completely giving up. Brown-Riggs explained a simple way to make sure you aren't taking in too much in the way of carbohydrates and sugars while still enjoying the foods you love without feeling restricted: the plate method.

This means a quarter of your plate is protein, a quarter of your plate is starch and the remaining half is vegetables. This is a great way to have meals without feeling the stresses of overeating and micromanaging.

4. It's okay to snack.
No one expects diabetics to completely give up on snacking. In fat, Constance suggests eating six smalls meals a day (snacks included) to stay healthy and maintain a well-balanced diet. A few diabetic-friendly snack ideas she gave us include whole grain crackers and peanut butter, fruit with yogurt, low fat cheese and trail mix.

While salad is always a healthy snack option, be careful with the dressing. "Keep salad dressing on the side and stick with ones that are clear," says Brown-Riggs. "The creamier dressings tend to be more unhealthy and the fat-free dressings have more sugar than the regular ones."

5. Monitor. Monitor. Monitor.
Just because it is okay to stick with eating food favorites like macaroni and cheese doesn't mean we should go overboard. Brown-Riggs advises to "look at the amount of carbohydrates in the food and measure your blood sugar after you eat it. This will show you how your body reacts to certain foods, making it even easier to keep the disease in control."

This is in an integral step in keeping such a serious disease under control. By knowing how everything you eat will affect your body, it is much easier to learn how to keep your sugar at a safe level.

Diabetes does not have to be a death sentence. If we exercise, watch what we eat and pay close attention to the amount of sugar and carbs we consume on a daily basis, we have a chance to combat this disease. If we continue down the road that we are on, the future of our children does not look bright. What choice will you make?

Nicotine May Increase Diabetes Complications

2011-03-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

Nicotine May Increase Diabetes Complications

Smoking isn't good for anyone, but there's new proof that people with diabetes can suffer greater complications from the disease if they smoke cigarettes.

Researchers from California State Polytechnic University have found that nicotine raises blood sugar levels.

High blood sugar levels are linked to eye and kidney disease, along with other complications from diabetes.

Scientists also suggest diabetics limit their use of nicotine patches and other replacement products.

Actos Prevents Diabetes in High-Risk People

2011-03-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

Actos Prevents Diabetes in High-Risk People

A new study has found that Actos, a medicine treats onset diabetes, could also reduce the diabetes risk in people with prediabetes.

The study, which was published Wednesday in New England Journal of Medicine, followed 602 prediabetics whose obesity, ethnicity, family history and other factors put them at high risk of developing diabetes.

The research findings showed that Actos, generically known as pioglitazone, reduced the odds of developing Type 2 diabetes by 72 percent in people with prediabetes.

Only 2.1 percent of those who took Actos developed diabetes each year over the three years of the study, compared with 7.6 percent of those who took a placebo.

Lead author of the study Ralph DeFronzo said, "The 72 percent reduction is the largest decrease in the conversion rate of pre-diabetes to (Type 2) diabetes that has ever been demonstrated by any intervention, be it diet, exercise or medication."

However, Actos can have significant side effects, including water retention, moderate weight gain, and increased risk of bone fractures.

Blood Test to Predict Diabetes Risk

2011-03-23T00:32:00.000-07:00

Blood Test to Predict Diabetes Risk

Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have suggested that measuring the levels of small molecules in the blood could predict diabetes risk as much as a decade before first symptoms appear.

They said that the finding the levels of five amino acids not only indicated increased diabetes risk in a general population but also could differentiate, among individuals with traditional risk factors such as obesity, those most likely to actually develop diabetes.

Amino Acids Flag Risk of Diabetes

2011-03-21T01:39:00.000-07:00

Amino Acids Flag Risk of Diabetes

Raised levels of certain amino acids in the blood could flag up the possibility of someone developing diabetes later in life, researchers in the US have discovered. The finding provides another potential predictor for the risk of developing diabetes - along with obesity and abnormal blood sugar levels - and opens new avenues to investigating the fundamental biochemistry of how diabetes develops.

A team from Harvard University in Boston, led by Robert Gerszten and Thomas Wang, screened blood samples from people who had enrolled in a major medical project, called the Framingham Heart Study, in the early 1990s. Of 2,400 participants, around 200 developed type 2 diabetes during the following 12 years. The research team used mass spectrometry to analyse metabolites in the blood of the people who went on to develop diabetes, compared with a control population in the study, with similar characteristics but who did not develop the condition.

The scientists discovered that five amino acids - isoleucine, leucine, valine, tyrosine and phenylalanine - were likely to be at increased levels in the people who went on to develop diabetes, up to 12 years later, even though they had no other signs at the time. In particular, elevated levels of isoleucine, phenylalanine and tyrosine pointed to greater risk. Individuals with the highest level of these three metabolites had a four- to five-times greater risk of developing diabetes than those with the lowest levels.

The findings were confirmed by screening blood samples of participants in another long-term study in Sweden, some of whom also developed diabetes later in life.

Gerszten says that identifying people with higher risk of developing diabetes would allow intervention at an early stage to prevent or delay the condition, such as radical changes in lifestyle or the use of drugs.

'We now need to figure out what is the cart and what is the horse,' Gerszten says. 'In other words, are these early markers of the disease, or do they participate in the causal pathway that leads to the condition? We are currently investigating this.'

'This is some way off being considered a routine diagnostic test,' says Iain Frame, director of research at the charity Diabetes UK. 'But it nicely highlights the potential use of surrogate biomarkers in helping us to not only identify those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, but also to help shed light on the role of certain metabolites in promoting development of the disease

History of Gestational Diabetes?

2011-03-16T01:44:00.000-07:00

History of Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is found for the first time when a woman is pregnant. If you had gestational diabetes during your pregnancy, you and your child have a lifelong risk for developing diabetes, a serious disease that can lead to health problems such as heart disease, blindness, kidney disease and amputations. The good news is there are steps you can take to prevent or delay diabetes and lower that risk for yourself and your child.

"Women with a history of gestational diabetes can lower their chances for developing diabetes by taking steps to reach and maintain a healthy weight, making healthy food choices, and being active," according to Judith Fradkin, M.D., of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. "Keeping a healthy lifestyle as a family is good for everyone."

Keep up healthy habits -- even after the baby is born.
Many women who have gestational diabetes see a dietitian or a diabetes educator to guide them in developing healthy habits during pregnancy. But what many women don't realize is that it's just as important to keep up with those healthy habits even after the baby is born.

If you are a woman who had gestational diabetes, it is important to get tested for diabetes 6 to 12 weeks after your baby is born, and at least every three years after that.

It is also important to reach and maintain a healthy weight by making healthy food choices, such as following an eating plan lower in fat and calories and high in fiber, and being active for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week. Even if women do not reach their "goal" weight, research shows that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help reduce risk.

Busy? Build physical activity into your day one step at a time.
Physical activity is an important part of maintaining a healthy weight and preventing type 2 diabetes. Set a goal to be active at least 30 minutes, 5 days per week. If you have not been active, start slowly, building up to your goal. Take small steps to include physical activity in your day-to-day routine.

Busy moms can use these tips to get started:
-- Park your car farther away from the store, movie theater, your office, etc.
-- Get your friends and family involved. Set a regular walking date, such as after dinner. Or do something that all ages can enjoy -- shoot hoops, take a bike ride, or just dance around the house.
-- Take a walk during your lunch break or push the baby's stroller around the mall.
-- Don't just watch the kids at the playground ... play with them.
-- Deliver a message to a co-worker in person instead of by e-mail, and take the stairs instead of the elevator.
-- Exhausted from a busy day and just want to plop on the couch in front of the TV? Use the commercial breaks to stretch, take a quick walk around your home, do some sit-ups, or march in place.

Diabetes Belt Includes 15 US States

2011-03-14T02:16:00.000-07:00

Diabetes Belt Includes 15 US States

There's a new kind of belt across the US: a "diabetes belt" which includes 15 US states and 644 counties.

Diabetes is definitely one of those things which has swept over America and now even affects the very young. This epidemic is something that everyone should be concerned about. Hopefully, now that the CDC has been able to identify the states in the "diabetes belt," more can be done about educating and helping those who are affected with the disease.

Apparently, the study found that 12 percent of residents living in the "diabetes belt" zone have diabetes. The rate of residents who live outside of the zone with diabetes is at 8.5 percent. The 15 states affected are "Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, [Mississippi], North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia."

CDC's Lawrence E. Barker stated, "Variations in preference of diet, based on culture, may be a contributor."

Well, knowing is only half of the battle. Now, it's time to take action and roll out a plan to educate people on their diets. It may be difficult to change one's diet but what's more important is one's life. A nice piece of juicy fried chicken and a thick slice of chocolate cake may wreck havoc on your body in ways you don't even realize.

Poor Diabetes Management has Severe Risks

2011-03-10T00:34:00.000-08:00

Poor Diabetes Management has Severe Risks

After many years of dealing with poorly controlled diabetes, an individual’s body may develop serious health problems. Continuously high blood sugars will destroy the various tissues of the body, and these patients will experience damage to the eyes, kidneys, nerves and skin. But the trouble doesn’t end there. A weakening of the body’s immune system will inhibit the body’s ability to fight infection, and the use of excess insulin, in non-compliant patients, or in patients whose have brittle diabetes (diabetes that is hard to control), accelerates the process of arteriosclerosis, with resultant heart and brain disease.

The eye problems may arise from changes in lens thickness. An increase in blood sugar levels will cause the lens of the eye to swell, resulting in blurring of vision. Eventually cataracts develop, requiring surgery. But diabetic vascular problems may cause other eye problems. As mentioned, both high blood sugar and use of excessive amounts of insulin causes the progression of arteriosclerosis. When arteriosclerosis affects the blood vessels of the eyes, the body tries to compensate by growing new blood vessels. Unfortunately, this process of neovascularization produces “leaky” blood vessels, which can directly destroy the retina (macular degeneration). Additionally, the leaking vessels will deposit blood into the central area of the eye (the vitreous). This clotted blood will act as a weight, and pull the retina down from the back of the eye, severely compromising vision. Fortunately, if employed early enough, laser surgery can stop this process and save sight.

The acceleration of arteriosclerosis, with its destruction of small, nourishing blood vessels can lead to heart attacks and strokes. This small vessel disease of the heart is not amenable to cardiac stenting or cardiac bypass surgery, and the multiple small or “silent M.I.s” that occur leave the patient with a poorly functioning heart and congestive heart failure. Similarly, multiple small strokes in the brain will lead to dementia. However, major heart attacks, and extensive, paralyzing strokes are also found in patients with poorly regulated diabetes, as the amplified problem of arteriosclerosis will also target the larger blood vessels. In the same manner, the kidneys can be destroyed, not only by the small vessel destruction, resulting in damage to the small filtering units of the kidneys (the glomeruli), but also from the accompanying high blood pressure developing from the arteriosclerosis.

The destructive nature of high blood sugar and excess insulin, with its resultant small blood vessel disease (microangiopathy), leads to nerve damage as well. The insulating material of the nerves is disturbed, and nerves misinterpret stimuli, resulting in either unrelenting pain or loss of sensation and numbness. This is called peripheral neuropathy. Although difficult to treat, there has been considerable success in the control of pain with the achievement of better diabetic management, and with the administration of a nerve-membrane stabilizing drug called gabapentin (Neurontin). When large vessel disease affects the extremities, peripheral vascular disease occurs. This worsens the peripheral neuropathy, with both processes leading to the destruction of the muscles and skin of the legs. As would be expected, the peripheral neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease are a major cause of erectile dysfunction in males.

Skin breakdown in the extremities, and along the pressure-bearing areas of the body, results in ulcerations. Because the elevated blood glucose inhibits the migration of infection-fighting white blood cells, these ulcerations are slow to heal, if they heal at all. These wounds tend to persist and even worsen. Gangrene may develop, necessitating amputation of the particular digit or limb. In fact, gangrene of the feet is 100 times more common in diabetics than in non-diabetics. In the same vein, this inhibition of white cell migration limits the body’s ability to fight infection. There is an acceleration of periodontal disease and an increase in urinary tract and yeast infections. Pneumonias and post-operative infections are also more likely, and much harder to treat. Overwhelming sepsis (infection) is frequently a terminal event in these diabetics.

In spite of all of this discouraging information, one must be mindful of the fact that good control of one’s diabetes will mitigate these complications considerably. A well-controlled diabetic can avoid many of these issues and lead a productive and satisfying life. It takes work, and a bit of dedication, but the rewards are worth it. This article is only meant as a reminder of what one faces if not meeting the challenges presented by diabetes. In the next article, we’ll review the practices that are required for good diabetic control.

Is There A Diabetes Cure?

2011-03-07T23:44:00.000-08:00

Is There A Diabetes Cure?

While there is no diabetes cure, there have been many strides in the treatment for diabetes and this can help you to keep symptoms under control and give you some hope for the future. Diabetes does not have to control your life and managing your diabetes is one of the best things you can do for your future.

Knowing the symptoms is a great place to start. Uncontrollable thirst is one of the most common symptoms of diabetes and one that most people are aware of. This can lead many people to their doctor and this is often how a diagnosis is made.

Type 1 diabetes is often diagnosed as a juvenile. This is the type of diabetes where the person will be dependent upon insulin for the rest of their lives. This is not caused by being overweight and the sufferer has no part in the onset of this type of diabetes.

With the obesity epidemic in the United States, type 2 diabetes is growing faster than ever expected. One of the ways to eliminate type 2 diabetes is to control diet and exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight often stops this type of diabetes in its tracks.

Gestational diabetes only occurs during pregnancy and it is often cured by delivering the baby. There is some research that has been conducted and gestational diabetes may increase your risk for developing type 2 later on in life and this is something that you will want to monitor. Maintaining a healthy diet and weight can prevent this even if you have suffered with gestational diabetes.

Frequent urination is a symptom of all of the types of diabetes. This can be caused by the increased thirst that many sufferers often experience. Dry skin is another common symptom that you will want to talk to your doctor about.

If you are experiencing any numbness in the hands or feet, it can warrant a trip to the doctor. This can help determine if diabetes if the cause, or if something else is going on. Any sores or injuries that are slow to heal can be another indicator that diabetes might be present.

Many people are waiting for a diabetes cure and until then it is important to manage your symptoms properly. There are many treatment options that can help you to lead a normal life. Diabetes can be a bit disruptive to any life, but when you have a strict schedule and a plan of attack, before you know it treating your diabetes will become second nature.

Diabetes Found to Reduce Lifespan by 6 years

2011-03-05T01:12:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Found to Reduce Lifespan by 6 years

A new study has found that diabetes can actually reduce your lifespan greatly.

Researchers focused on diabetes patients to see what type of impact the disease would have on their lifespan.

What researchers have found is that diabetes can reduce the life expectancy of those who suffer from it by 6 years.

The study involved over 250 scientists from 25 different countries around eh world.

Developing diabetes in middle age was found to have the highest impact on your health.

Diabetes already is known to lead to heart attacks and strokes, among other health issues, all of which lead to the decreased lifespan.

Patients that develop diabetes in their middle age also are more likely to have health issues with infections, cancers, and liver or kidney problems. A large part of the health issues are unrelated to obesity which commonly are found among diabetes II sufferers.

Over 280 million people now suffer from diabetes all over the world and that number is expected to continue to grow over the upcoming decades.

Scientists Spot Another Gene Behind Type 2 Diabetes

2011-03-02T23:36:00.000-08:00

Scientists Spot Another Gene Behind Type 2 Diabetes

Scientists have identified a gene variant present in some people of white European descent who have type 2 diabetes.

Although it's not yet clear how the gene works, it may prove a future target for treatments, among other benefits, say the authors of a study published March 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

As with so many gene studies, however, these findings aren't likely to translate into anything clinically meaningful soon.

"This shows an association between this gene and an increased risk of diabetes compared to the general population," said Dr. Steven D. Wittlin, clinical director of the endocrine-metabolism division and director of the Diabetes Service at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

"If we can find out how this gene is associated with diabetes from a pathophysiological point of view, then we can figure out how to intervene, but that's a lot of ifs, and right now we have 92.5 percent of people with diabetes who don't have this gene," said Wittlin, who was not involved in the study.

Between 7 and 8 percent of the patients involved in this study had the gene variant, the researchers found.

Some 250 million people around the world have type 2 diabetes, a disorder in which glucose is not properly metabolized in the body.

The main risk factors for type 2 diabetes are age, being overweight or obese, and family history. Native Americans, blacks and Hispanics also have a higher prevalence of the disease than whites.

Several diabetes-related genes have already been identified, although all of these together account for only 10 to 15 percent of type 2 diabetes cases, an accompanying editorial pointed out.

For this study, investigators at the University of Catanzaro in Italy looked at people with and without diabetes in three populations: about 6,500 Italian patients; close to 2,000 U.S. residents; and about 400 French people.

Among the study participants with type 2 diabetes, about 7 to 8 percent of people in each group had the variant of the HMGA1 gene. In the Italian group, this represented a 16-fold higher risk in people with type 2 diabetes versus the control group.

The gene appears to be involved in insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes.

But the presence of the gene in people without diabetes varied immensely (from 0.43 to 4.7 percent), making its effect hard to determine, said the editorial.

Although the experts believe the gene may one day help predict individuals likely to develop diabetes, Wittlin is more circumspect, given the relatively small proportion of people who have the variant.

"In the best of circumstances that are reported in this study, 7.7 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes have this gene variant," he said. "Certainly one can identify patients at risk for type 2 more on the basis of such things as family history or body build."

Another problem with the study is that it was conducted only in white Europeans so "the applicability to other ethnicities is totally unknown," said Wittlin.

Further study of the gene's effect on insulin resistance in other racial groups is needed, the authors noted.

Diabetes Self Help Guide Targets at Risk Group

2011-03-01T23:28:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Self Help Guide Targets at Risk Group

Diabetes UK has released a free interactive guide to Type 2 diabetes designed to help people from the South Asian community better manage their diabetes and improve their quality of life.

There are more than two million South Asian people living in the UK today of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi descent who are up to six times more likely to have diabetes than the white population.

The CD-ROM, called "Patient Interaction Education for the South Asian Community", takes the viewer through a journey of understanding diabetes and how it can be managed. It uses interactive animations, voice-over and subtitles to explain what diabetes is, the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, information about fasting and how to test blood glucose levels. The production of the CD-ROM was sponsored by Lilly.

Diabetes UK equality and diversity manager, Jenne Dixit, said, "South Asians in the UK are up to six times more likely to have diabetes than White people, and they are at higher risk from the age of 25 rather than over 40, which is the case in the White population. This free CD-ROM shows viewers what diabetes is, and how to manage it effectively, in an interactive way.

"If not managed properly, diabetes can have serious and life-threatening complications, such as stroke, heart disease, blindness and amputation. I hope that this CD-ROM will give people a better understanding of their condition, and help them to achieve an improved quality of life.

Diabetes Depression and Anger - How do You Vent?

2011-03-01T23:25:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Depression and Anger - How do You Vent?

There are days that Type 2 diabetes gets me down. Not just down but downright mad. The anger is very real. It is known that depression is common with diabetes. Anger is often it's companion. Rather than hold it in or allow it to build and explode without control, it helps to channel the energy in healthy ways.

Here are examples of things that put me in a fowl mood:

I get mad because I feel diabetes is unfair or others misunderstand.
I get mad when I've been following the plan and still struggle with my blood sugar numbers. Little things like the weather, a cold, or my menstrual cycle can raise my numbers and present a challenge.
I get mad when I have to take a medication that causes my blood sugar numbers to skyrocket. Sometimes I have to take a steroid for lung problems or hives. Many people with diabetes have lung issues and experience this quandary.
I get mad when my A1c is much higher than I thought it would be.

When I feel that swell of anger, I personally find the following things help me channel it out in a healthy way:

Exercise. A fast walk or jog can help clear my head and release some of the energy from anger.
Breathe. Deep inhales and purposeful exhales sound so simple, it's hard to believe they can possibly be powerful. For me they are.
Vent. I find a place to vent where others understand. I seek out diabetes communities online where I can give a good rant among others who understand.
Get proactive. Get proactive and make a plan. If the issue is a bad A1c, I set a goal and map out a plan of action.
Hit a pinata. Yes, you read that right. I've been known to identify a pinata as diabetes and give it a few good whacks.

I'm sure you readers have some good examples of what makes you angry and how you deal with it in a healthy way.

What’s the Best Test for Children’s Diabetes?

2011-02-28T00:42:00.000-08:00

What’s the Best Test for Children’s Diabetes?

A simple blood test that measures long-term glucose levels -- the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test -- may not be the best way to diagnose diabetes in adolescents.

The HbA1c screening test is easier to perform than the fasting plasma glucose test, which requires fasting for eight hours. But the new study, which appears in the Journal of Pediatrics, shows that the HbA1c test is less sensitive in diagnosing diabetes and prediabetes in children than in adults.

“My worry is that we could miss cases of diabetes,” says study researcher Joyce Lee, MD, a pediatric endocrinologist at University of Michigan’s Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor. “The HbA1c test just doesn’t perform as well in kids as it does in adults.”Lee says this test can be useful as an adjunct to other diabetes tests.

“You don’t want to rely on just this test to diagnose a child with diabetes,” she says. If a child is overweight and obese and has two of four risk factors for diabetes, they should be screened in some other way beside HbA1c.”

Risk factors include family history of diabetes, maternal history of gestational diabetes, belonging to certain ethnic groups (Native Americans, African-Americans, or Asians/South Pacific Islanders), or any signs of insulin resistance such as polycystic ovary syndrome, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol levels.

Comparing Diabetes Screening Tests

In the new study, researchers compared HbA1c screening results with those seen on fasting glucose tests among 1,156 obese and overweight adolescents aged 12 to 18. They compared these readings with those of 6,751 adults aged 19 to 79.

According to the American Diabetic Association guidelines, diabetes is diagnosed when an HbA1c level is 6.5% or more; prediabetes is diagnosed when an HbA1C level is between 6% and 6.4% on two separate tests. Prediabetes is marked by higher than normal glucose levels that places a person at risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Using these cut-offs, the fasting test caught significantly more adolescents with diabetes and prediabetes than the HbA1c test, the study showed. The HbA1c was much more sensitive among adults than adolescents.

The researchers also compared results in a subset of 267 adolescents and 1,476 adults who had two-hour plasma glucose measurements, in which blood glucose is measured exactly two hours after you have a sweet drink. The two-hour test was also more sensitive than the HbA1c test in adolescents.

“Most of the studies that were done to validate the HbA1c were done in adults,” Lee says. There are hormonal differences in children that may affect its ability to diagnose diabetes, she says. “There is also an age-dependent rise in HbA1c over time, so we many need a lower threshold.”

Gerald Bernstein, MD, director of the diabetes management program at the Friedman Diabetes Institute of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, agrees that the HbA1c test results can be misleading in children. He says that changing hormone levels in boys and girls may skew the results.

“There is a lot of data that needs to be accumulated and validated in the technical sense to be able to use this test as reliable diagnostic criteria," he says.

“If your child is at risk for diabetes, I would not be happy with just this test unless it was high,” he says. “If it was high, you escape the ambiguousness seen in the new study.”

Glucose tolerance is still the gold standard, he says.

Coconut Sugar Good For Diabetics ?

2011-02-26T00:40:00.000-08:00

Coconut Sugar Good For Diabetics?

A new type of coconut sugar has hit Guam's shelves and it's known to have greater health benefits for diabetics than cane sugar.

During a check presentation to the Diabetes Association of Guam at Meskla for $2,867.23. Pacific Rim Brokers President Pete Sgro says his company is backing a product called "Benevita Cocosugar". Sgro says he brought back samples to Guam from the Philippines and received good feedback from diabetics and non diabetics alike. In fact, some patients that tested the product over a long period of time reported a decrease in their use of insulin. Sgro is now working with the Diabetes

Association of Guam to see if there is a trend. While he wants to improve the lifestyles of the over 40 thousand diabetics on Guam, Sgro also explains some of the health benefits of this “cocosugar.”

“With coconut sugar, it doesn't store the sugar in your body” said Sgro. “So obviously, it has some health benefits not just for diabetics. But with respect to obesity, if you eat a lot of cane sugar, you're going to get fat storage. If you use one with low Glycemic Index which coconut sugar is...then you don't have that storage.”

Sgro adds this sugar has more nutrients than cane sugar and lowers Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol.

Aside from donating the product to the association for the first 30 days, Sgro adds his company is committing and contributing $10 thousand dollars to host a regional diabetes workshop in April.

“We are flying presenters from the University of Pittsburgh Diabetes Institute” remarked Sgro. “The director of the institute will be flying into Guam in April, together with 3 diabetes instructors. We're not going to limit it to professionals on Guam. We're also going to extend invitations to representatives from the outer island because diabetes is in chronic levels as well over there.”

Sgro mentions the U.S. Department of Agriculture has certified "Benevita Cocosugar" as organic. The product can be found at all Payless Supermarkets for now.

However, Benevita has offered Sgro's company to be their exclusive representative for the entire west coast of the United States.

Does Coffee Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes?

2011-02-21T00:59:00.000-08:00

Does Coffee Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes?

Folks who need that morning cup of coffee to get going may be protecting themselves from type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. UCLA researchers wrote in the journal Diabetes last month that drinking four cups of coffee a day reduced women's chance of developing type 2 by a bit less than half. What's more, the scientists point to a specific reason why all that java has a beneficial effect: a protein known as sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Scientists have suspected for some time that SHBG was connected to diabetes development.

What about those coffee jitters? Folks hoping to cut their risk through this method may have to endure them. (Who knows? They may learn to love them.)

"Consumption of decaffeinated coffee was not significantly associated with SHBG levels, nor diabetes risk," said the study's lead author, Atsushi Goto of the University of California, Los Angeles. "So you probably have to go for the octane."

This isn't the first study looking at diabetes and coffee consumption. Past work has produced conflicting results, so you may want to weigh the data before mainlining Starbucks.

An Archives of Internal Medicine paper from 2006 showed that women who drank decaffeinated coffee had the most protection from type 2 diabetes (they were 22 percent less likely to develop it). Those who drank the regular stuff also received some protection, the earlier study said, but not as much.

Other studies have cast doubt on coffee itself, suggesting that the beverage makes it harder for the body to break down sugar.

The UCLA study looked at 359 postmenopausal women with new cases of type 2 diabetes and compared them with 359 women who didn't have the disease but were otherwise similar. In addition to the researchers from UCLA, scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School contributed to the study.

Americans May face Diabetes Outburst By 2020

2011-02-19T00:39:00.000-08:00

Americans May face Diabetes Outburst By 2020

Diabetes has become the most serious health problem of America. United Health Group has predicted that 52% of Americans may get diabetic or pre-diabetic by 2020. The percentage is more than two time higher than the amount of diabetes cases registered in 2010.

People of America have not started taking this problem seriously. It is still considered as a big health problem despite all the rapid improvements in science and technology. Experts claims that the reason behind this health hazard is extremely poor lifestyle adopted by the majority of population.

Diabetes is a metabolic condition which arises when the blood sugar level increases abnormally. The high level of sugar disturbs the normal functioning of multiple organs. Diabetes is mainly of two types, diabetes type I and diabetes type II. The deficiency of insulin results in diabetes type I and decreased sensitivity to insulin leads to diabetes type II.

Nearly 95% of the diabetes cases are of type II diabetes whereas diabetes type I is a rare disorder.

In the Last year, $194 billion were spent on diabetes-related care alone. This amount accounts for 7% of total US healthcare costs. According to the United Health Group the amount is expected to rise to $500 billion in 2020 which means a total of $3.4 trillion over the next ten years.

Knowledge Necessary to Deal With Diabetes

2011-02-15T00:31:00.000-08:00

Knowledge Necessary to Deal With Diabetes

Being educated about diabetes is important for everyone affected by the disease — especially the parents of young diabetics, said Laurence Martin, a pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist at Regional Hospital

Type 1 diabetes affects 1 in 500 children and is a lifelong condition with no cure, he said. Type 2 diabetes, which used to be seen only in adults, started to occur in children about 15 years ago, and the numbers are growing, he said.

"It used to be unusual to see. But now we see it on a regular basis," he said. "Type 2 is maybe even increasing to become more common than Type 1, which is very much self-inflicted. It runs in families; it's inherited. It's related to obesity."

Education for adults currently is offered at Regional. Jessica Strickland, a clinical dietitian, leads a monthly class on diabetes for adults. The one-day class includes a complimentary lunch, which is used as an educational tool, and complimentary lab work. The class includes a dietitian, a registered nurse, a clinical pharmacist, a physical therapist/wound care specialist and a medical resident, Strickland said.

"Each one speaks to their area of diabetes care and management," she said. "There is no fee for the class. This is a service Regional provides to the community."

Strickland encourages each person to bring a support person, and she said the class is for any adult with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 — or adult-onset diabetes — may be increasing to become more common than Type 1, Martin said. He has Type 2 patients as young as 5 years old, he said.

"It's not so much about a shortage of insulin, but about too much person," he said. "It's about insulin resistance. The body develops insulin resistance, so the body develops more to keep up and the person gains weight. With proper diet, exercise and weight control, you can make Type 2 go away."

Sometimes patients can use pills, but some become so overweight that they have to have insulin shots, he said.

Most parents, when they find out about Type 1 diabetes, feel the news is sudden, Martin said.

"It develops quickly," he said. "Parents are distressed and troubled. A major lifestyle change is involved. Type 2 sneaks up, and it can be there a while and you not know."

Many adults have Type 2 and may not know it. Martin said 20 to 30 million Americans don't know they have Type 2 diabetes.

"It's all about diet, exercise and what I call 'screen time,'" he said. "The TV screen, the computer screen, the iPhone screen. As we become more sedentary, this becomes more a problem. Type 2 is socioeconomic — it's really expensive to eat healthy."

Parents and adult diabetics should look at food labels and be aware of free calories, Martin said. He often warns parents about juices because some have a lot of sugar.

People with diabetes and those in danger of becoming diabetic should stay active.

"A muscle at work doesn't need insulin, so the less insulin needed, the less weight gained," he said.

It's important to be informed about diabetes, especially in children, Martin said.

"This has long-term impacts on a child's health and on your long-term health," he said. "Complications to diabetes can affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves; with Type 2, you add in cardiac disease and harm to the feet."

If the disease starts at age 30, complications develop 20 or 30 years later. If the disease develops at age 5, complications come when a child is relatively young, Martin said.

"This has an impact on generations," he said. "This is one of the most expensive diseases nationally. We spend a huge amount of health care money on diabetes. If we bring down the burden on individuals and society, everyone will benefit."

Checkout Affects on Muscles Due to Diabetes

2011-02-12T00:35:00.000-08:00

Checkout Affects on Muscles Due to Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus affected patients can increase contracture of limbs and digits due to soft tissue congealing in these areas. Such trouble can be the cause of homicide of the muscle from disuse.

This disease raises atherosclerosis that damages the movement of numerous tissues inside the body. This time the muscles of the limb are disturbed and blood flow decreases, which can lead to cramp and become a painful movement of tissues (peripheral vascular disease turns into claudicating). In those conditions where the position is the most horrible such as an increment of disease can lead to death of the restricted areas of muscle. Patient will get the indication as local pain in the involved area. For clear picture of effects of muscle blood testing can do for muscle enzymes. This available test is known as CPK. If the diabetes is affecting the heart muscle such as atherosclerosis than this can lead to heart attack as well.

It is the kind of disease, which can damage nerves, which supply the blood to feed and hands. It can also lead to insufficient nerve supply, which can again damage other muscles as well. Those people who are affected with longstanding diabetes mellitus can get big pain, and muscle twitching, besides muscle slaying around the shoulders and hips. This problem is known as diabetic muscle degeneration or amyotrophy.

However, a different type of diabetes is having dissimilar difficulties and having a muscle problem in all types is not necessary. Muscle power is sealed adequately to let for modest physical activity, and it can be treated in the proper way under professional expert’s supervision. Their supervision will help the diabetes patients to free the muscles from any kind of strains happened because of diabetes.

While talking about different troubles of muscles, there are 32 various causes that affect due to diabetes. Some of the known causes are Addison’s disease, Angina, Atherosclerosis, Bell’s palsy, Cardiovascular Disease, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Cerebrovascular Conditions, Depressive disorders, Eclampsia, Flu – Febrile convulsions, Frozen Shoulder, Heart block, Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome, etc. Many other causes are there that can happen due to diabetes disease so it’s important for a patient to control the sugar level and do some regular exercise to maintain their muscles.

The most common cause of diabetes is frozen shoulders and that is also a fact that people infected with diabetes will not get the complete rid of this disease once they get affected. Those who feel having a frozen shoulders problem should start taking magnesium in their diet.

There are diabetes monitor and methods to control this disease so that muscles affects also can be reduced. However, patient has to contact the experts to learn the procedure of some physical activities for muscles.

Evolution Caused Genetic Variation That May Affect Diabetes

2011-02-09T00:59:00.000-08:00

Evolution Caused Genetic Variation That May Affect Diabetes

Stanford University researchers have identified genetic variations in a hormone involved in the secretion of insulin-a molecule that regulates blood sugar levels-that occur more frequently in some human populations than others.

People with the 'new' variants, which are thought to have first occurred 2,000 to 12,000 years ago, have higher fasting levels of blood glucose than those with the more traditional, or ancestral, form of the gene.

High blood glucose levels are associated with the development of diabetes, which occurs when the body is unable to produce or respond properly to insulin.

The finding may help scientists better understand the subtle changes in human metabolism, or "energy balance regulation," that occurred as our species shifted from being primarily hunter-gatherers to a more agriculturally based society.

It may also help clinicians identify individuals likely to develop diabetes, and direct the development of new therapies for diabetes and obesity.

"These studies are fascinating because it shows how much the selection process has affected human energy-balance regulation in just a few thousand years and how complex it could be for the future practice of personalized medicine," said Sheau Yu 'Teddy' Hsu, senior author of the study.

Hsu and his colleagues at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan and Texas A and M University first identified 207 genetic regions that have been associated with diabetes or obesity.

They then looked to see which of these had increased in prevalence in the time since humans began to move out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. They identified 59 genetic regions of particular interest, and homed in on those that occurred in at least 30 percent of people in the HapMap project - a worldwide survey of genetic differences among populations.

The research has been published in the journal Diabetes.

How To Incorporate Your Diabetes Monitor Into Your Life

2011-02-08T01:10:00.000-08:00

How To Incorporate Your Diabetes Monitor Into Your Life

For most diabetics, the fact that they are living with diabetes starts to hit them when they get their diabetes meter out from the box. Commonplace in any home-based blood glucose monitoring regimen, diabetes monitors or blood glucose meters are key to determining the concentrations of glucose in the blood, which in turn is essential in formulating the proper treatment, diet and exercise for managing diabetes.

If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, incorporating your diabetes monitor into your daily routine may be difficult and uncomfortable. Testing your blood sugar with your blood glucose monitor during specific periods of the day, for example, can be quite a challenge especially when at work or travelling. Thankfully, modern blood glucose monitors are quite small: The Johnson & Johnson One Touch Ultra Mini meter, for example, is just four inches long and one and a half inches wide. Modern meters also only require small amounts of blood to calculate results in seconds, making it easier to find time and a place to check for blood sugar.

If you are going to test your blood glucose outside of the house, testing in a bathroom or kitchen is the ideal place to do so in terms of hygiene and privacy. Make sure that all the necessary testing equipment including the diabetes monitor, lancets test strips are placed in a stable surface, and dispose of used test strips and lancets after the test.

If you are a Type 1 diabetic that requires regular doses of insulin, the American Diabetes Association recommends that you test at least three times a day. The testing should be done before or and after meals, when performing exercise or rigorous physical activity, and before going to sleep. For people with Type 2 diabetes, on the other hand, testing is not as strict. Type 2 diabetics who control their diabetes through diet or oral medications may not even require regular testing at all. However, regardless of whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes you should still undertake periodic A1C testing, which shows your average blood glucose level over the past three months.

The type of diabetes monitor you are going to use for blood glucose monitoring might be an issue for you as well. If you have special requirements, such as a visual impairment or the need to track down blood glucose readings over time, your choices may be limited to just a few models. Price may also be a factor, although the blood glucose meter price has significantly gone down over the years. Nowadays you can purchase a blood glucose monitor from $80 to as low as $20. Some manufacturers even give away their diabetes monitors for free or are at a discounted rate. If you are covered by Medicaid, Medicare or other type of health insurance, your coverage may also include the purchase of a diabetes monitor and other diabetic testing supplies.

Once you have purchased a diabetes monitor, you should then calibrate it for first use with new test strips. Unless you are already familiar with calibrating meters, it is recommended that you bring your new meter along during your clinic visit and have it checked and calibrated by your doctor or a technician. You should also ask your doctor if you can use your meter alongside a laboratory blood test so that you will be able to determine whether the accuracy of your diabetes monitor closely matches that of laboratory-grade testing equipment.

Finally, most people have problems dealing with the pain and discomfort of taking blood samples for testing. Purchasing a lancing device often helps lessen the pain, as they draw and retract within seconds and allow you to set the depth of penetration of the lancet. You can also try taking blood samples on the forearm, which is less sensitive than the fingertip, though you should check first whether your meter supports alternative testing sites.

Living with a diabetes monitor can be quite inconvenient, but it is necessary in order to maintain good health and prevent the onset of severe side effects caused by diabetes. And if you want to learn more about living with diabetes as well as tips on finding free and diabetes monitors, insulin pump supplies and other diabetic supplies

Newcastle Scientists Aiming to Create Diabetes Device

2011-02-04T00:29:00.000-08:00

Newcastle Scientists Aiming to Create Diabetes Device

SCIENTISTS from Newcastle and Oxford are collaborating to create devices which will make the process of diagnosing and monitoring Type 1 and 2 diabetes a less painful experience for those being tested.

Oxford Medical Diagnostics is developing products which give a reading of the levels of acetone in breath when blown into, creating an alternative to the traditional diabetes testing method of pricking a finger and analysing the blood.

A device designed for use by GPs and other medical professionals is expected to hit the market in the next six to eight months after finishing clinical trials, while a more affordable handheld device for home monitoring could be available within a couple of years.

Oxford Medical Diagnostics was formed in 2008, but the current set-up is the result of a merger between Oxford Medical Diagnostics, experts in Broadband Cavity Enhanced Absorption Scectroscopy from Oxford University and North East handheld breath-testing start-up EV (Medical Screening).

EV (Medical Screening) was set up in 2008 and specialised in the development of Plasma Emission Spectroscopy to analyse compounds in human breath. It was set up by former IBM director and current OMD chairman John Jack, and founders included Northumbria University’s Tim Moor and University of Newcastle emeritus professor of physics Albert Crowe.

OMD chairman John Jack said: “In 40 years of international business this is without doubt one of the most exciting business opportunities with which I have been associated.”

Diabetes Spreading Fast in US

2011-02-01T23:55:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Spreading Fast in US

The number of Americans with diabetes have increased to nearly 26 million as more people are developing the disease and many who have it are living longer, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

An estimated 79 million adults in the United States have prediabetes, a condition in which blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. Prediabetes raises a person's risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

In a study published last year, CDC projected that as many as 1 in 3 U.S. adults could have diabetes by 2050 if current trends continue.

In 2008, about 23.6 million people in the United States had diabetes and 57 million adults were classified as prediabetes, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control.

Diabetes affects 8.3 percent of Americans of all ages, and 11.3 percent of adults aged 20 and older, according to the National Diabetes Fact Sheet for 2011. About 27 percent of those with diabetes - 7 million Americans - do not know they have the disease. Prediabetes affects 35 percent of adults aged 20 and older.

Diabetes, which is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. It is marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can cause serious health complications such as heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, kidney failure, blindness and amputations of feet and legs. Diabetes costs $174 billion annually, including $116 billion in direct medical expenses.

"These distressing numbers show how important it is to prevent type 2 diabetes and to help those who have diabetes manage the disease to prevent serious complications such as kidney failure and blindness," said Ann Albright, director of CDC's Division of Diabetes Translation. "We know that a structured lifestyle program that includes losing weight and increasing physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes."

Americans With Diabetes Increase Further to 26 Million

2011-01-30T06:52:00.000-08:00

Americans With Diabetes Increase Further to 26 Million

There are now 26 million Americans suffering from diabetes and an additional 79 million in the “prediabetes” stage, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

The National Diabetes Fact Sheet for 2011 figures show a rising trend of diabetes in the U.S. In 2008, the agency reported that there were 23.6 million Americans or 7.8 percent of the population who had diabetes. That same year 57 million people were estimated to have “prediabetes.”

A separate study by the agency released last year showed that one in three Americans will have diabetes by 2050 if present trends continue.

Most diabetics in the country have type 2 diabetes wherein insulin sensitivity gradually declines over time. The culprit is weight gain and obesity health experts say, as more Americans eat fatty foods and exercise less.

The CDC said that last year some 1.9 million American adults found out that they had diabetes. But 7 million or about 27 percent of the estimated number who have diabetes still do not know that they have the disease.

“These distressing numbers show how important it is to prevent type 2 diabetes and to help those who have diabetes manage the disease to prevent serious complication such as kidney failure and blindness,” said Ann Albright, the director of the Division of Diabetes Translation of the CDC. “We know that a structured lifestyle program that includes losing weight and increasing physical activity can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes,” Albright added.

The CDC said diabetes costs $174 billion per year and is the seventh leading cause of death among Americans. Diabetes is often a precursor to other dreaded diseases like kidney failure and adverse cardiovascular events like heart attacks and stroke.

Diabetes Affects Both Patient and Spouse

2011-01-29T00:46:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Affects Both Patient and Spouse

A new study has found that older patients with diabetes who are not dealing well with the disease are likely to have symptoms of depression, and their spouses also suffer distress related to the disease and its management.

"Responsibilities and anxieties can differ for patients with diabetes and their spouses, but each may experience stress, frustration and sadness at times related to the demands of living with this disease," said Melissa M. Franks, from Purdue University.

"We know spouses often support their partners, but in our work we want to know what form their involvement takes and how the disease and its management affect both the patient and spouse," Franks said.

Franks and her team found that the distress spouses feel is similar to what patients feel, and this could contribute to their own depressive symptoms such as irritability or sadness.

These depressive symptoms come from their own anxieties about living with the disease or caring for someone with the disease and not necessarily because the other person is struggling.

Researchers also found that when male patients were concerned about the management of their diabetes, their depressive symptoms were elevated more than those for female patients with similar levels of concerns.

The study was based on statistical models with 185 couples older than 50.

The patients and spouses completed individual surveys that measured distress related to diabetes, such as adherence to treatment recommendations, as well as depressive symptoms.

The gender effects were measured by comparing the couples' responses. There were 67 female patients and 118 male patients, and each couple was screened to make sure only one person had diabetes.

Children Need More Sleep to Prevent Obesity, Diabetes

2011-01-28T00:23:00.000-08:00

Children Need More Sleep to Prevent Obesity, Diabetes

Children who get more sleep are more likely to weigh less and avoid metabolic factors that predispose them to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, according to a new study. If your children are getting less than 9 hours of sleep per night, they need more.

Catch-up sleep on weekends lowers obesity risk

Parents can recognize when their children do not get enough sleep, because they may be cranky and less alert. Research shows that insufficient sleep among children can result in behavior problems, poorer performance on cognitive tests, and more injuries.

An earlier study from the University of California reported that a lack of adequate nighttime sleep among infants and preschool children was a significant risk factor for obesity later in childhood. Inadequate sleep is also known to weaken the immune system and make people more susceptible to infections.

A new study by investigators at the University of Chicago and published in Pediatrics shows an association between insufficient sleep and obesity and other metabolic problems. One major finding was that children ages 4 to 10 who got the least amount of sleep and who had the most irregular sleep schedules were greater than 4.4-fold more likely to be obese.

David Gozal, MD, of the University of Chicago, and his research team evaluated 308 healthy children over a one-week period. The children wore wrist actigraphs to record their sleep duration and patterns.

Researchers found that the children averaged about eight hours of sleep per night, regardless of day of the week or the child’s weight. The recommended amount is 9 to 10 hours.

Among other findings was that less sleep (about 6.5 hours) and irregular sleep patterns were associated with altered levels of insulin, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and C-reactive protein (an indication of inflammation and cardiovascular risk). The authors concluded that “the longer and more-stable sleep duration is, the less likely a child is to manifest metabolic dysfunction.”

On the upside, children who got extra sleep on the weekends lowered their risk of obesity to less than 2.2-fold. Overall, the study results indicated that children who consistently get 9 to 10 hours of sleep on both weekdays and weekends have the healthiest metabolic profile.

Tackling Diabetes in the Latino Community

2011-01-24T01:15:00.000-08:00

Tackling Diabetes in the Latino Community

Around 6% of Americans have diabetes, but for Latinos it's double that, around 12 to 13%.

And that's why more than 30 Valley organizations gathered at Shadow Hills High School in Indio Saturday, to help combat the growing diabetes epidemic in the Latino community.

The free event included several lectures, music, food and of course some valuable information about diabetes.

Residents from all over the Valley turned out, and there was even representatives from all three Valley hospitals at the event.

Diabetics Diagnosed With Breast Cancer 50 Percent More Likely to Die

2011-01-20T00:50:00.000-08:00

Diabetics Diagnosed With Breast Cancer 50 Percent More Likely to Die

Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer are nearly 50 percent more likely to die from any cause if they have diabetes, according to a study from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

The research found that diabetics are more likely to be diagnosed with a late-stage breast cancer, and also receive altered forms of treatment to avoid dangerous side effects related to diabetes that could potentially be less effective in curing the patient.

The results could mean more research on what role high levels of insulin play in tumor growth.
"When patients are faced with a diagnosis of breast cancer, which they see as an imminent threat to their lives, diabetes care often goes on the back burner, study leader Dr. Kimberly S. Peairs, an assistant professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said in a press release.

"This research suggests we may need to proactively treat the diabetes as well as the cancer," Peairs said.

Peairs said diabetics are known to have a higher risk of breast cancer, with additional risks of obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, which suggests the higher death rate could be linked to being in an overall lower state of health than those breast cancer patients without diabetes.

Study Finds Drinking Coffee Cuts Diabetes Risk In Women

2011-01-20T00:48:00.000-08:00

Study Finds Drinking Coffee Cuts Diabetes Risk In Women

Researchers at UCLA say coffee appears to boost a protein that regulates the body's sex hormones.

It's a protein that's been shown to protect against diabetes.

The study found women who drank four cups of coffee a day were less than half as likely to develop diabetes than those who didn't drink any coffee.

There were no diabetes benefits found in decaffeinated coffee.

Stem Cells to Treat Diabetes ?

2011-01-18T00:41:00.000-08:00

Stem Cells to Treat Diabetes?

In what may pave the way for better treatments for diabetes and heart diseases, scientists claim to have developed the first adult-induced pluripotent "stem cell lines" using skin biopsies from patients suffering from rare genetic disease Friedreich Ataxia (FA).

The study was conducted by the University of Melbourne and Monash Institute of Medical Research and is published in the 'Stem Cell Reviews and Reports' journal.

It is the first time adult pluripotent stem cells, known as iPS cells have been developed for a specific disease in Australia, allowing for the development of new treatments for FA and related conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, say the scientists.

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells result from the reprogramming of adult cells, such as skin cells, and are similar to embryonic stem cells in that they have the potential to generate any cell type of the body.

Preventing Diabetes

2011-01-15T00:40:00.000-08:00

Preventing Diabetes

Diabetes is a growing problem for older adults, and the YMCA of Marquette County has a new program to help those at risk for the disease.

The Y's new pre-diabetes program started this week, and their goal is to provide information and activities for those at risk.

If your doctor has diagnosed you as pre-diabetic or you have any of the warning signs, such as being overweight, having high blood pressure, or have family members with the disease, then the program is for you.

"We will focus on increasing physical activity and letting people know how they can lose weight slowly, steadily, and lose that weight to prevent getting type two diabetes," said Y Wellness Director, Jenna Zdunek.

The program runs for seven weeks and costs $30.

Identifying Diabetes

2011-01-13T01:15:00.000-08:00

Identifying Diabetes

Diabetes is an incurable disease where the body loses the ability to make or use insulin effectively. When not enough insulin is available, the body is unable to obtain the glucose or sugar from foods to use as energy. When glucose builds up in the blood, it increases the risk of eye problems, hearing loss, kidney failure, skin disorders, serious foot complications and heart disease.

Different types

Type 1 diabetes — The pancreas stops producing insulin. Treatment includes regular blood sugar tests, insulin therapy and medication.

Type 2 diabetes — The body tissues become resistant to insulin. It can often be managed by diet, exercise and blood sugar monitoring.

Prediabetes — Blood glucose levels are higher than normal, increasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. It may be avoided by weight loss and exercise.

Diabetes Plus Depression a Deadly Combo

2011-01-12T00:12:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Plus Depression a Deadly Combo

Women suffering from both diabetes and depression have a greater risk of dying, especially from heart disease, a new study suggests.

In fact, women with both conditions have a twofold increased risk of death, researchers say.

"People with both conditions are at very high risk of death," said lead researcher Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Those are double whammies."

When people are afflicted by both diseases, these conditions can lead to a "vicious cycle," Hu said. "People with diabetes are more likely to be depressed, because they are under long-term psychosocial stress, which is associated with diabetes complications."

People with diabetes who are depressed are less likely to take care of themselves and effectively manage their diabetes, he added. "That can lead to complications, which increase the risk of mortality."

Hu stressed that it is important to manage both the diabetes and the depression to lower the mortality risk. "It is possible that these two conditions not only influence each other biologically, but also behaviorally," he said.

Type 2 diabetes and depression are often related to unhealthy lifestyles, including smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise, according to the researchers. In addition, depression may trigger changes in the nervous system that adversely affect the heart, they said.

The report is published in the January issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Commenting on the study, Dr. Luigi Meneghini, an associate professor of clinical medicine and director of the Eleanor and Joseph Kosow Diabetes Treatment Center at the Diabetes Research Institute of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said the findings were not surprising.

"The study highlights that there is a clear increase in risk to your health and to your life when you have a combination of diabetes and depression," he said.

Meneghini noted there are many diabetics with undiagnosed depression. "I am willing to bet that there are quite a number of patients with diabetes and depression walking around without a clear diagnosis."

Patients and doctors need to be more aware that depression is an issue, Meneghini added.

For the study, Hu's team collected data on 78,282 women who were aged 54 to 79 in 2000 and who were participants in the Nurses' Health Study.

Over six years of follow-up, 4,654 women died, including 979 who died of cardiovascular disease, the investigators found.

Women who had diabetes had about a 35% increased risk of dying, and those with depression had about a 44% increased risk, compared with women with neither condition, the researchers calculated.

Those with both conditions had about twice the risk of dying, the study authors found.

When Hu's team looked only at deaths from heart disease, they found that women with diabetes had a 67% increased risk of dying and those with depression had a 37% increased risk of death. But women who had both diabetes and depression had a 2.7-fold increased risk of dying from heart disease, the researchers noted.

In the United States, some 15 million people suffer from depression and 23.5 million have diabetes, the researchers say. Up to one-fourth of people with diabetes also experience depression, which is nearly twice as many as among people who don't have diabetes, they added.

"The combination of diabetes and depression needs to be addressed," Meneghini concluded. He added that patients need to tell their doctors if they are feeling depressed, and doctors also need to be on the lookout for signs of depression in their diabetic patients.

Diabetes Soaring Among American Adults

2011-01-10T00:03:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Soaring Among American Adults

The number of American adults treated for diabetes more than doubled between 1996 and 2007, rising from about 9 million to 19 million, says a federal government report released Wednesday.

By age groups, the number of adults treated for diabetes increased from 4.3 million to 8 million among people age 65 and older; 3.6 million to 8.9 million among adults aged 45 to 64; and 1.2 million to 2.4 million among people aged 18 to 44, reported the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Diabetes comes in two forms: type 1, an autoimmune disorder in which patients lack the insulin-producing cells needed to control blood sugar; and type 2, often related to obesity, where cells gradually lose sensitivity to insulin. Over 95% of diabetes cases are of the type 2 variety.

One expert wasn't surprised by the new report.

"Rates of diabetes have risen in all age groups. Twenty years ago, type 2 diabetes was unheard of in children and young adults, but now it is being diagnosed even in these younger age groups," said Dr. Christine Resta of the division of endocrinology at Maimonides Medical Center, New York City. "Part of this rise is increased detection -- patients are being evaluated and tested sooner and more often. But part of it is a real increase in the rates."

Resta is sure of one culprit behind the soaring numbers of American diabetics. "The percentage of U.S. adults who are overweight or obese has also risen dramatically, and there is no doubt that rising rates of obesity are linked to the rising rates of diabetes," she said.

The total treatment costs for diabetes also climbed from $18.5 billion to nearly $41 billion during that time, according to the AHRQ's analysis of data from the national Medical Expenditure Panel survey.

Other diabetes-related costs rose as well. The cost of outpatient care for adults with diabetes doubled from about $5 billion to $10 billion between 1996 and 2007.

During those 11 years, total costs of prescription drugs for adults diabetes patients also increased nearly fourfold, from $4 billion to $19 billion. In addition, the per-patient cost of prescription drugs more than doubled, jumping from $495 to $1,048 a year.

"Costs have risen for a number of reasons," Resta said. "Of course, with more patients, there are more costs. But even the cost per patient has gone up. Newer diabetes medications are expensive, often 10 times the cost of older generic medicines. When patients are diagnosed younger, they are more likely to eventually require multiple diabetes medications, which also drives up costs."

And with every diabetes-linked complication, medical bills rise too.

"The longer the duration of diabetes, the more likely the patient is to have complications," Resta explained. "Each of these complications (eye damage, kidney damage, nerve damage, foot infections, cardiovascular disease) adds to the cost of taking care of diabetes. Treating the complications is often much more expensive than treating the blood sugars. So all of these factors are contributiing to the skyrocketing costs."

Insulin Deficiency and Onset of Diabetes

2011-01-07T00:10:00.000-08:00

Insulin Deficiency and Onset of Diabetes

Insulin is a peptide (small protein) consisting of fifty-one amino acids synthesized and stored within the pancreas, an organ situated behind the stomach. The protein itself consists of two chains, denoted A and B, linked by disulfide (sulfur-sulfur) bridges between cysteine residues. In fact insulin is a hormone, a chemical transported in the blood that controls and regulates the activity of certain cells or organs in the body. When blood sugar levels rise following a meal, the pancreas is stimulated to release insulin into the bloodstream. In order for tissues to absorb glucose from the blood, they must first bind insulin. Glucose metabolism is necessary for cell growth and energy needs associated with cell function. When insulin binds to receptors on cell membranes, glucose transporter proteins are released from within the cell to the surface of the cell membrane.

Once on the exterior surface of cells, glucose transporters can carry sugar from the blood into the tissue where it is metabolized. Without insulin, cells cannot absorb glucose and effectively starve.

A deficiency in insulin production results in a condition called diabetes mellitus. Type 1 diabetics account for 10 percent of those individuals suffering from diabetes mellitus. It is also known as juvenile diabetes and generally develops in young people, typically between the ages of ten and fifteen years, as a result of an autoimmune disorder. Why the body's immune system turns on itself, attacking and destroying beta cells, the pancreatic cells in which insulin is synthesized, is not clear. The unfortunate consequence is insulin deficiency.

The majority of individuals afflicted with diabetes mellitus suffer from type 2 diabetes.

The onset of type 2 diabetes occurs much later than for type 1 and typically in people over the age of fifty. The pancreas of type 2 diabetics continues to produce and release insulin. However, cells do not respond appropriately to insulin levels in the blood. This condition is known as insulin-resistance and is associated with obesity and high blood pressure. Children who are obese can also develop type 2 diabetes.

Gestational diabetes affects 3 to 5 percent of pregnant women. Onset generally occurs in the fifth or sixth month of pregnancy. In pregnant women, the placenta produces hormones to support the growing fetus. Some of these hormones (e.g., estrogen and cortisol) interfere with the actions of insulin. Insulin-resistance develops despite adequate blood insulin levels. Gestational diabetes does not last beyond pregnancy and the condition disappears after delivery.

Before the discovery of insulin, type 1 diabetics usually died within a few years of onset of the disease. During the early 1920s, a young Canadian physician, Frederick Grant Banting, working with John James Rickard Macleod, professor of physiology at the University of Toronto, and Charles Best, a medical student, discovered insulin while performing investigations on extracts acquired from dog pancreas. Soon after, Banting and Macleod were awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for their discovery, Banting reportedly split his share of the prize money with Best.

Insulin was rapidly put into clinical use, chiefly through the efforts of August Krogh, a Danish scientist who cofounded the Nordic Insulin Laboratory in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the production of insulin. Large quantities of insulin were initially acquired from the pancreatic tissues of slaughtered animals, typically cows and pigs. Although bovine (cow) and porcine (pig) insulin are still the major components of commercially available insulin, the use of human insulin preparations is rapidly growing. Since the 1980s, recombinant DNA techniques have made human insulin available for clinical use. Genetically modified strains of Escherichia coli bacteria or Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) containing human genes coding for insulin have been developed for the mass production of human insulin.

Insulin is not a cure for diabetes. It does, however, allow diabetics, especially those with type 1 diabetes, to gain some control over their condition. Insulin is typically administered by subcutaneous (under the skin) injection. There are four principal types of insulin preparations commercially available. Insulin lispro (ultra-short-acting insulin) is rapidly absorbed into the blood and lasts only 3 to 4 hours. Regular insulin, on the other hand, takes 30 minutes to become effective, and lasts 5 to 7 hours. Lente and NPH (neutral protamine Hagedorn) insulin preparations are longer acting formulations typically administered every 12 hours. Finally, mixtures of insulin preparations are also commercially available. Typical mixtures consist of 70 percent NPH and 30 percent insulin lispro.

Depression, Diabetes, Heart Disease Linked

2011-01-07T00:06:00.000-08:00

Depression, Diabetes, Heart Disease Linked

Women with depression and diabetes have a higher risk than others of death from heart disease, a six-year study found, U.S. researchers say.

Study leader An Pan of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston and colleagues said the study indicated women with depression had a 44 percent increased risk of death, those with diabetes had a 35 percent increased risk of death and those with both conditions had approximately twice the risk of death -- vs. women who had neither condition.

The study, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found when considering only deaths from cardiovascular disease, women with diabetes had a 67 percent increased risk, women with depression had a 37 percent increased risk and women with both had a 2.7-fold increased risk.

"The underlying mechanisms of the increased mortality risk associated with depression in patients with diabetes remains to be elucidated," the study authors say in a statement.

However, the researchers suggest diabetes and depression links to unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle and noted depression could trigger changes in the nervous system that affect the heart adversely.

Pan and colleagues studied participants in the Nurses' Health Study -- 78,282 women ages 54-79 at study start -- 4,654 of whom died, including 979 who died from cardiovascular disease, during the six years.

Arsenic Induces Diabetes

2011-01-05T00:20:00.000-08:00

Arsenic Induces Diabetes

Arsenic is a metalloid element, belongs to V group in periodic table, found in the natural environment in some abundance in the Earth’s crust and in small quantities in rock, soil, water and air. About one third of the arsenic in the atmosphere comes from natural sources, such as volcanoes, and the rest comes from man-made sources. The mineral (inorganic) forms of arsenic (iAs) are generally more toxic than its more complex organic compounds found naturally in plant and animal tissues.

Countries where As levels in drinking water have been found to exceed the World Health Organization Standard of 10 µg/l include Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, chile, China, Hungary, India, Mexico, Peru, Taiwan, United States of America. The National Academy of Sciences estimates that about 75,000 to 100,000 tons of arsenic is produced annually on a global scale. About 80% of arsenic compounds are used to manufacture products with agricultural applications such as insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, algaecides, sheep dips, wood preservatives, dyestuffs and for the eradication of tapeworms in sheep and cattle. In addition, the use of arsenic in microelectronics is increasing. Thus, in addition to water contamination by this metal, anthropogenic activity is also important. Arsenic exposure causes diabetes mellitus besides other toxic effects like Cancerous diseases such as: Skin cancer, bladder cancer, liver, lung and stomach cancer.

Non-cancerous diseases such as: Peripheral vascular disease, cardiovascular and cerbrovascular diseases, hypertension, goitre, hepatomegaly, respiratory system dysfunction, nervous system dysfunction and diabetes mellitus.

Arsenic have been recently proposed as additional risk factors for type 2 diabetes. Hydroarsenicism is a major public health problem since millions of people worldwide are exposed to arsenic by the drinking of contaminated water. An increased prevalalence of diabetes has been consistently observed among residents of high arsenic exposure areas, whereas inconsistent findings have been reported from occupational and community-based studies in low arsenic exposure areas. Peoples are exposed to arsenic through many foods containing small amounts of arsenic and water, eating or breathing soil or dust particles contaminated with arsenic, drinking groundwater from natural deposits containing arsenic, breathing sawdust or burning smoke from wood treated with arsenic, working in a job that involves arsenic production or use, such as copper or lead smelting, wood treating, or pesticide application, touching arsenic-containing materials

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic represents a risk factor for diabetes mellitus in both environmental and occupational. The researchers reportedly concluded: “Given widespread exposure to inorganic arsenic from drinking water worldwide, elucidating the contribution of arsenic to the diabetes epidemic is a public health research priority with potential implications for the prevention and control of diabetes .

Arsenic induced type 2 diabetes depends on concentration of arsenic, arsenic compound, time of exposure, biological model. Arsenic induced diabetes also depends on individual susceptibility which includes: genetic factors, nutritional status, health status, detoxification capability, interactions with other trace elements, and presence of other risk factors for diabetes mellitus.

The pandemic of arsenic poisoning due to contaminated groundwater in West Bengal, India, and all of Bangladesh has been thought to be limited to the Ganges Delta (the Lower Ganga Plain), despite early survey reports of arsenic contamination in groundwater in the Union Territory of Chandigarh and its surroundings in the northwestern Upper Ganga Plain and recent findings in the Terai area of Nepal.

High levels of arsenic above the permissible levels of 50 parts per billion (ppb) are found in the alluvial plains of Ganges covering six districts of West Bengal. Presence of heavy metals in groundwater is found in 40 districts from 13 states, viz., Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and five blocks of Delhi. There is increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among residents of arseniasis-endemic areas as compared to residents in non-endemic areas. The spread of arsenic contamination in groundwater seems to be assuming gargantuan proportions. What is worse is that inhabitants of the affected areas are unaware and the local authorities totally oblivious to this grave problem. It was known that West Bengal (WB) and Bangladesh had high levels of arsenic in the groundwater, but slowly the problem is spreading to other states like Uttar Pradesh. This is confirmed by the reports of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi that people living in the Ballia district of UP also have high levels of arsenic in their blood, hair, nails, etc.

People should be made aware that their arsenic-related diseases are due to the arsenic-contaminated groundwater they are using for drinking and cooking. Lowering of the ingested inorganic arsenic level and introduction of newer treatment options (implementation of laterite, the natural material) to ensure safe water supply (arsenic free and/or low arsenic within permissible limit) are the urgent needs to safeguard against mass arsenic poisoning and internal arsenic-related health problems.

Fatty Acids And Diabetes

2011-01-02T23:24:00.000-08:00

Fatty Acids And Diabetes

Doctors will advise you to reduce the fat content in your daily food consumption as found in cheese, whole milk, yoghurt, butter, meat, and substitute it with skim varieties of dairy products and lean meats, for the sake of health. It is known that low fat diets reduce your blood lipids, such as LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and doctors stress very much its importance, especially among diabetics.
It is now observed that fat found in dairy products lowers the incidence of developing diabetes, a new study suggests.

Researchers in New York have observed looking at more than 3,700 US adults, that those with higher blood levels of fatty acid known as trans-palmitoleic acid, there was a 60 percent less likely incidence to develop diabetes, a study carried over a period of 20 years.

The researchers examined 3,736 participants in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute funded Cardiovascular Health Study, who have been followed for 20 years in an observational study to evaluate risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in older adults. Metabolic risk factors such as blood glucose and insulin levels, and also levels of circulating blood fatty acids, including trans-palmitoleic acid, were measured using stored blood samples in 1992, and participants were followed for development of Type 2 diabetes.

The findings were that the incidence of Type 2 diabetes was less approximately 60% among those who entered the studies. Trans-palmitoleic acid found in the fatty foods was thought to be beneficial for the lower incidence of Type 2 diabetes.

Such benefits may need to be weighed against the fact that full-fat dairy products having high calories could lead to weight gain, a risk factor for diabetes. Dr. Darius Mozaffarian, an associate professor at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston is of the same opinion, and that diabetics should continue their current low fat, low glycaemic foods until further studies are carried out. However, the fact remains that dairy has some anti-diabetes properties.

Trans-palmitoleic acid falls into the broad category of ‘trans-fat,’ which has become notorious in recent years for its links to elevated LDL cholesterol and heart disease. However, unlike the trans-fats in many processed foods, like margarine, crackers and chips, trans-palmitoleic acid is a natural fat. And so far, Mozaffarian said, research has not linked natural trans-fats in dairy and meat to an increased heart disease risk.

It may be that at least some natural trans-fats, like trans-palmitoleic acid, have health benefits, according to Mozaffarian. “I think we all have to start looking at dietary fats in a more nuanced way,” he said.
At baseline, higher circulating levels of trans-palmitoleic acid were associated with healthier levels of blood cholesterol, inflammatory markers, insulin levels, and insulin sensitivity, after adjustment for other risk factors. During follow-up, individuals with higher circulating levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had a much lower risk of developing diabetes, with about a 60% lower risk among participants in the highest quintile (fifth) of trans-palmitoleic acid levels, compared to individuals in the lowest quintile.

So it can be infirmed from the research that, after all dairy products and meat are not as unhealthy as was assumed in the past. There has been no clear biologic explanation for the lower risk and incidence of diabetes seen with high consumption of dairy products and meat. Trans-palmitoleic acid being a natural occurring transfat in foods, and not being an artificially produced transfat, such as found in margarine and others presumably could be the reason of its health benefits.

Caution

Deepa Khatri, clinical advisor at Diabetes UK, called for more research and advised caution when interpreting the study results. “People should not take the findings of this research as a reason to exceed the recommended portion amounts of dairy food in order to prevent their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Milk and dairy foods can be high in fat, which if eaten in excess can contribute to weight gain.” Keeping an eye on further research on the subject is important.

Seasonal Treats Can Raise Diabetes Risk

2010-12-31T01:20:00.000-08:00

Seasonal Treats Can Raise Diabetes Risk

EXTRA calories over the festive season could lead to more people across Teesside developing Type 2 diabetes, experts have warned.

Santa and thousands of others should take it easy on the mince pies and mulled wine according to Diabetes UK, to avoid weight gain and an increased risk of developing the disease.

The charity revealed there are about 121,700 people diagnosed with diabetes in the North-east and an estimated 40,000 who have Type 2 diabetes do not know it.

To reduce your risk of developing it, Diabetes UK recommends a healthy balanced diet that is low in fat, salt and sugar and being physically active. Eating too many calorific treats such as Christmas cake, mince pies and mulled wine can leave us all struggling to buckle our belts in the New Year - as well as leading to complications caused by diabetes.

Linda Wood, regional manager for Diabetes UK Northern and Yorkshire, pictured, said: “Christmas is a time of good festive cheer and we certainly don’t want people to deprive themselves and hamper the fun, but it is important for people to enjoy the festive treats as part of a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables.”

Pollution Can Cause Obesity and Diabetes`

2010-12-28T23:49:00.000-08:00

Pollution Can Cause Obesity and Diabetes

London: New research at Ohio State University in the US has revealed that childhood exposure to common air pollutants increases the risk of obesity and developing diabetes.

Exposure to microscopic pollutants from car exhausts and burning fossil fuels can lead to weight gain in youngsters brought up in cities, say researchers, reports the Daily Express.

They also discovered that the pollutants cause increased insulin resistance, which can lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes.

The results are based on tests on mice and the pollution levels they were exposed to matched the levels found in urban areas.

One group of baby mice was exposed to microscopic pollution particles and another breathed filtered air.

Their ages matched toddlers to late adolescent humans and mice from both groups were fed a normal diet or a high-fat diet.

All the animals on a high-fat diet gained extra weight but the mice on a normal diet who were exposed to the atmospheric pollutants for six hours a day over 10 weeks saw elevated levels of blood sugar.

They also had higher levels of insulin resistance, as well having higher levels of fat both around their abdomen and internal organs. Mice on a high-fat diet who breathed in the airborne toxins did not gain any more weight than their counterparts on a high-fat diet, who were breathing fresh air.

But mice exposed to pollutants while on a normal diet did have increasing levels of body fat, suggesting that exposure to pollutants was enough to trigger weigh gain.

The study was led by Dr Qinghua Sun, the university's associate professor of environmental health sciences.

Blood Samples Give Clue to How Key Diabetes Drug Works

2010-12-28T01:26:00.000-08:00

Blood Samples Give Clue to How Key Diabetes Drug Works

BLOOD samples from people in Tayside have helped researchers learn more about a drug used to save the lives of diabetes sufferers.

Metformin has been used by millions of people with diabetes for more than 50 years, but scientists have never uncovered how it works.

Now, in a study using donated blood samples, scientists have discovered that a gene known as ATM can affect how the drug works.

The drug protects against heart disease, as well as eye and kidney disease, in people with type 2 diabetes – the most common form of the condition, which affects the amount of insulin the body can make.

Dr Ewan Pearson and Professor Colin Palmer, from the Biomedical Research Institute at Dundee University, used information from patients with diabetes and linked it to donated blood samples from 20,000 people in Tayside.

They were able to see how well metformin worked in nearly 3,000 people and discovered that ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) altered how well people respond to the drug.

Dr Pearson said: “We were expecting to find genes involved in blood-sugar regulation, so the finding that ATM is involved in metformin response was totally unexpected.

“Although ATM has been widely studied by cancer scientists, no one previously thought it had a role in how this commonly-used diabetes drug worked. Our finding, therefore, draws together mechanisms that protect against cancer and lower blood sugar, suggesting a new area for diabetes drug development.”

Development

Prof Palmer added: “This is an important development in defining how individuals may respond differently to diabetes drugs, but further work is required before we have enough information to be able to reliably use genetic testing in the clinic to guide treatment of common forms of type 2 diabetes.”

The Wellcome Trust and Diabetes UK jointly funded the research and have now provided Dr Pearson with money to continue the study.

Dr Iain Frame, research director at Diabetes UK, said: “The benefits for people with type 2 diabetes may not be immediate but any research that increases our knowledge of how effectively drugs work in different individuals is hugely important.”

Carbohydrates and Diabetes

2010-12-27T01:06:00.000-08:00

Carbohydrates and Diabetes

As you may well know, carbohydrates have taken a beating in the last few decades. There are people that refuse to touch them, and some that are very careful about the types that they eat. If you want to know how to deal with carbohydrates and diabetes, you probably already know that carbs can be a problem with those with your disease because they are often the culprits when high blood sugar spikes occur. You can not go without eating any carbs, as that is dangerous to the body. Instead, you have to learn about the right types of carbs. Some are very good for you and necessary for good health.

Doctors will tell you that worrying about carbohydrates and diabetes goes hand in hand. Blood sugar will shoot up when carbs high on the glycemic index are ingested, causing complications with diabetes that can have serious consequences. Some people think that they have to give up carbs altogether, which is a huge misconception. Items with pure can sugar or high fructose corn syrup are out, for the most part, but those are not the only carbs out there. Those are the ones, however, that can do the most damage. You can find sugar free candy and dessert options, but those should not be used very often either. They are a great treat when you just have to have something sweet, though.

Pastas, white breads, and white rice are also problematic when thinking about carbohydrates and diabetes. The carbs in these foods convert to sugars very quickly and they cause the same problems as ingesting pure sugar. These should be avoided and replaced with whole grain breads, brown rices, and and whole grain pastas. You can also buy brands of pasta like Dreamfield, which do not digest like regular pasta but taste just as good. These block the bad carbs, giving you as few as 5 per serving as apposed to 40-50 with regular pasta.

White potatoes can also be a problem with carbohydrates and diabetes, but some people can eat them sparingly. There are great recipes out there that can replace them, like steamed and mashed cauliflower, which many claim is just as good, if not better, than white potatoes. There are some fruits that are higher on the glycemic index than others, and those too should be eaten only occasionally. Other fruits, on the other hand, are low and are great for those with diabetes. Most vegetables are good, but a few can be problematic.

There are many changes to your diet and your exercise routine when you think about diabetes. Though the changes you have to go through can be hard, you can live a full life with diabetes. All it takes is some time to understand what good and bad carbs are, and what you have to do to keep your blood sugar on an even keel and at a good number. You may even have to take some medications, but many that can control their diet find they can leave the meds behind. If you are still confused about carbohydrates and diabetes, talk to a nutritionist about a diet plan that will work for you and your health.

Cherries May Help Fight Diabetes

2010-12-23T00:40:00.000-08:00

Cherries May Help Fight Diabetes

Michigan State University researchers have reported that chemicals found in cherries may help fight diabetes.
The researchers, writing in the Jan. 5 issue of the American Chemical Society's Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, said a group of naturally occurring chemicals found in abundance in cherries could help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.

Lab tests using animal pancreatic cells showed the chemicals, called anthocyanins, increased insulin production by 50 percent. Anthocyanins are a class of plant pigments responsible for the color of many fruits, including cherries.
Anthocyanins also are potent antioxidants -- chemicals increasingly associated with a variety of health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer.

The researchers said the compounds show promise for both prevention of type 2 or non-insulin-dependent diabetes, the most common type, and for helping control glucose levels in those who already have diabetes.

Common Dairy Foods May Cut Diabetes Risk

2010-12-22T01:03:00.000-08:00

Common Dairy Foods May Cut Diabetes Risk

Scientists have discovered a natural substance in dairy fat that may substantially reduce the risk of type 2 Diabetes.

The compound, trans-palmitoleic acid, is a fatty acid found in milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter. It is not produced by the body and so only comes from the diet.

Investigators at the Harvard School of Public Health and collaborators from other institutions explain that trans-palmitoleic acid may underlie epidemiological evidence in recent years that diets rich in dairy foods are linked to lower risk of type 2 Diabetes and related metabolic abnormalities.

The HSPH researchers examined 3,736 participants in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded Cardiovascular Health Study, who have been followed for 20 years in an observational study to evaluate risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in older adults.

Metabolic risk factors such as blood glucose and insulin levels, and also levels of circulating blood fatty acids, including trans-palmitoleic acid, were measured using stored blood samples in 1992, and participants were followed for development of type 2 Diabetes.

During follow-up, individuals with higher circulating levels of trans-palmitoleic acid had a much lower risk of developing Diabetes compared to individuals in the lowest quintile.

Traditional Foods Key to Fighting Diabetes

2010-12-16T01:21:00.000-08:00

Traditional Foods Key to Fighting Diabetes

The statistics are not good - 24,000 or 11.2 percent of Navajos have diabetes. For many individuals, the diagnosis means endless visits to the doctor and lots of medication.

"The sad thing is that (the incidence of new cases) is still growing," said Ray Baldwin Louis, public information officer for the Navajo Nation Special Diabetes Project.

"In our traditional way of life, the main diet was vegetables, which were homegrown," Louis said. "We didn't eat mutton all that much."

But the arrival of commodity foods - government-issued cans of beef, chicken, Spam-like luncheon meat and cheese - marked the end of good eating habits, he said.

Louis said that for the last eight weeks, classes were held to teach staff of the special diabetes project about research by Dr. Neal Barnard that has shown that diabetes can be controlled, and even reversed, with an easy-to-follow plant-based diet.

Speaking Monday at a free seminar at the Navajo Nation Museum, Barnard, a popular figure on public television, said that by sticking to a few basic principles and making simple lifestyle adjustments, people can enjoy a surprising degree of control over diabetes.

"It's really true that before Europeans came to America, there was no lard or fry bread," Barnard said. "Plant products like beans, corn and squash were much more available. Government programs haven't been helpful and today fast food is seductive.

"Diabetes comes in very rapidly and is dangerous," he said.

However, contrary to popular opinion, sugar is not the culprit.

"Glucose is not the enemy, it's the gasoline that powers your body," he said. "Fat from foods get inside cells - greasy food passes grease into the cells. The fat stops glucose from working.

"If we can stop eating fat, it comes out of the cells," he said. "As the amount of fat drops, your cells become more and more sensitive to insulin, allowing your blood sugar to come down."

The plan provided by Barnard includes choosing foods that are vegan (free of all animal products), low fat and have a low glycemic index.

"This means no meat, fish, dairy products or eggs - not even a little bit," he said. "The idea is to clean the animal fat, animal protein and cholesterol out of your diet.

Low Salt Helps Diabetes Patients

2010-12-14T01:02:00.000-08:00

Low Salt Helps Diabetes Patients

People with diabetes can rapidly reduce blood pressure and their risk of developing kidney disease if they restrict their intake of salt, new analysis has suggested.

Cutting salt intake by just 2g a day has the same effect on blood pressure as hypertension medication, according to the Cochrane Collaboration Renal Group, which looked at 13 studies.

The reduction in salt saw systolic blood pressure fall by an average 7mmHG and diastolic blood pressure by 3mmHG after one week.

Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes experienced similar effects. The blood pressure of type 1 patients dropped by 7.1/3.1mmHG and type 2 patients saw a fall of 6.9/2.9mmHG.

The findings present a strong case to say that people with diabetes should keep to a diet low in salt, according to the researchers, who are based at St George’s Hospital Medical School and Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

The study authors said: “These findings, in conjunction with other evidence relating salt intake to BP and albuminuria in hypertensive and normotensive people, make a strong case to reduce salt intake in diabetes, as is recommended for the general population in public health guidelines, to less than 5-6g/day.”

Threat to Diabetes Transplants

2010-12-11T01:23:00.000-08:00

Threat to Diabetes Transplants

A WORLD-leading transplant program pioneered by Melbourne scientists is in jeopardy unless Federal funding continues.

The lives of 14 type 1 diabetics have been saved or improved through the experimental islet transplants performed by the St Vincent's Institute.

Commonwealth backing for the groundbreaking research has run out and the program will wind up in June if gap finance is not provided.

The institute hopes to attract backing from a new State Government program in mid-2012, but yesterday made a plea to Prime Minister Julia Gillard to provide to survival cash.

After hearing from three women already saved by the transplants Ms Gillard was in no doubt about the importance and success of the St Vincent's research, but the Government is yet to commit to financing.

Under the experimental treatment islet cells are removed from organ donors and transplanted in type 1 diabetics to enable their pancreas to produce insulin.

Fighting for the transplant program's future is the institute's foundation chairwoman, Susan Alberti. She lost her only child, Danielle, to type 1 diabetes and "bought" a lunch with Ms Gillard for $85,000 at a charity auction, which turned into a lunch for about 170 people yesterday.

To make her plea even harder to refuse, Ms Alberti donated $500,000 to the cause.

Millions May Not Know They Have Prediabetes

2010-12-09T01:43:00.000-08:00

Millions May Not Know They Have Prediabetes

Since the mid-1990s, John Sammon has been trying to change his lifestyle.

Eating healthier food. Exercising more. Seeing a doctor regularly.

And in the end, it was those doctor visits that led to a diagnosis of prediabetes, a medical issue that millions of Americans do not even know they have.

The 68-year-old Dunmore resident underwent double bypass surgery in 1994 and his doctor, Anthony Perry, M.D., ordered blood tests every three months to monitor the effect medications were having on his body.

About 18 months ago, Dr. Perry noticed that Mr. Sammon's blood-sugar levels were higher than normal. Like many prediabetics, he had no symptoms that his blood-sugar was abnormal. And even after the diagnosis, Mr. Sammon said he detected almost no changes in the way he felt.

"I didn't think it was serious; that if I made some changes, it would go away," Mr. Sammon said about the prediabetes diagnosis. "But it didn't work out like that."

Even with immediate treatment, coupled with the healthy habits Mr. Sammon was working on, he soon developed Type 2 diabetes.

About 57 million Americans suffer from prediabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And with few symptoms, many do not know they have it, said Susan Vrablic, coordinator of the diabetes program at Pocono Medical Center.

"Most people find out through routine blood work," Ms. Vrablic said. "It's largely a silent condition."

Prediabetics will have a fasting blood sugar between 100 and 126 milligrams of glucose per deciliter, or mg/dL, of blood, Dr. Perry said. Less than 100 mg/dL is considered normal and more than 126 mg/dL is considered diabetic, he added.

Left unchecked, prediabetes will often develop into diabetes, experts say.

About 23.6 million Americans had diabetes in 2007, according to the CDC. Of that, about 5.7 million were undiagnosed diabetics. In 2008, about 8.8 percent of Pennsylvanians 18 and older had been diagnosed with diabetes, slightly higher than the national average of 8.3 percent.

In Pennsylvania, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in 2007, according to the state Department of Health. The disease can lead to nerve damage, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.

This fall, a CDC report predicted the number of diabetes cases in the country could triple in the next 40 years, in part because obesity is also on the rise. Annually, diabetes costs the country about $174 billion, CDC reports said.

A blood test and a hemoglobin A1C test, which provides an average of someone's blood sugar levels over a six- to 12-week period, is normally used to diagnose prediabetes, Dr. Perry said.

Once diagnosed, people with prediabetes have a good chance of staving off diabetes - or even avoiding developing it all together - by making lifestyle changes, experts say.

Topping the list is starting an exercise program, Ms. Vrablic said. New research shows that people with diabetes or prediabetes should strive for about 150 minutes of exercise a week, or about 30 minutes a day, five days a week, according to a study published in this month's issues of Diabetes Care and Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.

Dr. Perry said losing weight and choosing healthier foods will also help to control or even stave off diabetes.

But the problem, both Dr. Perry and Ms. Vrablic said, is convincing prediabetes and diabetes patients to make changes to their lifestyle.

"If we knew how to motivate patients, we could reduce the incidence of diabetes," Dr. Perry said, adding that doctors historically "have had remarkably little success at getting people to lose weight."

After his diagnosis, Mr. Sammon was put on medication to help control his diabetes and spends about an hour at the gym three times a week, walking on the treadmill with other people struggling with heart trouble and other medical issues. He meets regularly with a nutritionist and a nurse practitioner at Dr. Perry's diabetes clinic, which is connected to Mercy Hospital in Scranton.

"What I'm doing is keeping active, because it helps my mindset," he said. "I have lost some weight between the diet and the exercise."

Contact the writer: enissley@timesshamrock.comRisk factors

With few symptoms, millions of Americans are not aware they have prediabetes or diabetes, doctors say.

Most people are diagnosed after a test that measures fasting blood-sugar levels, taken after a patient has not eaten anything for at least eight hours. But the problem, some experts say, is that many people do not get regular screenings. Left undiagnosed, diabetes can lead to complications, including blindness, kidney failure, amputation and nerve damage.

Anthony Perry, M.D., said there are certain types of people who are more at risk to develop prediabetes or diabetes. Certain ethnic groups have a higher risk of developing diabetes. Other risk factors include:

- A family history of diabetes, especially if a parent or a sibling has been diagnosed.

- Being overweight, defined as having a body-mass index greater than 25.

- Low HDL cholesterol or high triglycerides.

- High blood pressure

Air Pollution Linked to Diabetes

2010-12-06T01:27:00.000-08:00

Air Pollution Linked to Diabetes

Air pollution exposure early in life is linked to belly fat and insulin resistance in mice even if they ate a normal diet, U.S. researchers say.

Lead author Qinghua Sun of Ohio State University says exposure levels for the animals subjected to polluted air resemble the fine-particulate pollution that can be found in U.S. urban areas.

Sun and colleagues fed the mice either a normal diet or a high-fat diet and exposed them to either filtered air or air containing at least seven times more fine particulates than the ambient air in Columbus, Ohio.

After exposing the mice to polluted or filtered air for 10 weeks, researchers analyzed the mice for risk factors associated with obesity and insulin resistance -- the hallmark of type 2 diabetes, Sun says.

The researchers say the mice on the high-fat diet gained much more weight than those on the normal diet, but mice exposed to polluted air and eating the normal diet had more significant elevations in glucose in the blood than the normal-diet mice that breathed clean air.

The mice exposed to pollution also showed more signs of insulin resistance -- when the presence of insulin does not initiate the transfer of glucose from the blood into the tissues, where it is used for energy.

The findings are published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology.

Smoking Too Common Among Young Diabetes Patients

2010-12-04T01:45:00.000-08:00

Smoking Too Common Among Young Diabetes Patients

Smoking rates are high among young people with diabetes, and many teens and young adults with the condition report never being asked about their smoking habits or advised by their doctors to stop, according to a new federally supported study.

Diabetes and smoking are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The national study looked at the presence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among young people who had either type 1 or type 2 diabetes and whether they smoked.

Smoking Habits Start Early

Researchers led by Kristi Reynolds, PhD, MPH, an investigator from Kaiser Permanente, found that teenagers who had type 1 diabetes and smoked were more likely to be physically inactive and have higher triglycerides for cardiovascular disease, both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Among their other findings:

Tobacco use increased with age. Among the study group with type 1 diabetes, smoking prevalence was 2.7% among those aged 10 to 14; 17.1% among those aged 15 to 19; and 34% of those aged 20 and older.
Tobacco use also steadily increased with age among those with type 2 diabetes and prevalence was 5.5% among those aged 10 to 14; 16.4% among those aged 15 to 19; and 40.3% among those aged 20 and older.
Ten percent of youths with type 1 diabetes and 15.7% of those with type 2 diabetes were using some form of tobacco at the time of the study.
Among the group with type 1 diabetes, 30.4% of 10- to 14-year-olds, 68.3% of 15- to 19-year-olds, and 84.7% of young adults 20 and older reported being asked by their health care provider whether they smoked or used tobacco products.
Among the group with type 2 diabetes, 47.2% of 10- to 14-year-olds, 51.8% of 15- to 19-year-olds, and 57.4% of young adults 20 and older reported being asked about tobacco use.
Overall, smoking among young diabetes patients was more common among those living in households with family annual incomes of $50,000 or less.
Smoking was more common among Native Americans and least common among Asian-Pacific Islanders.
Past and current smokers who had type 1 diabetes had significantly poorer cardiometabolic profiles -- such as higher triglycerides and blood pressure -- than diabetes patients who were nonsmokers.

The results are published in the December issue of Journal of Pediatrics, andare based on 3,466 children and young adults aged 10 to 22 who had diabetes who participated in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study. Participants provided blood samples and had their blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar levels measured. They were also interviewed about their lifestyle habits, such as smoking or exercising. The research was funded by the CDC and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive Kidney Diseases.

The authors note that 90% of adult smokers say they started smoking before age 18, indicating that adolescence and early adulthood may be a prime time to intervene and instill healthier lifestyle habits.

Reynolds and her team state that their research included a large, racially, socioeconomically diverse study population.

“Smoking is an avoidable risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease,” Reynolds and her team write. “Youth with diabetes, regardless of type, should be targeted for aggressive smoking prevention and cessation programs.”

Start Young to Reduce Diabetes Risk

2010-12-02T02:02:00.000-08:00

Start Young to Reduce Diabetes Risk

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic and life-altering diseases in children and adolescents. It is estimated that 151,000 children and adolescents have diabetes and that about 2 million adolescents age 12-19 have pre-diabetes. In the past, when diabetes struck a child, it was presumed to be Type 1, however, Type 2 diabetes is occurring children and adolescents with increasing frequency. Diabetes is not just a problem of children; it is estimated that in the next 25 to 40 years the occurrence of diabetes in all Americans will double or triple.

Although Type 1 and Type 2 are both forms of diabetes, they have very different pathological origins. Type 1 diabetes - previously called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or juvenile-onset diabetes - develops when the immune system destroys the body's ability to produce insulin and regulate blood sugar levels. Individuals with Type 1 diabetes must take insulin to control their blood-sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes typically strikes in children and young adults. Unfortunately, Type 2 diabetes, which was previously called adult-onset diabetes, is occurring in young people at alarmingly high rates.

While Type 1 diabetes is thought to be an auto-immune disease, the increase in incidence of Type 2 diabetes is related to increasing rates of obesity and low levels of physical activity. Children and adolescents diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are generally between 10 and 19 years old, obese, have a strong family history for Type 2 diabetes, and have insulin resistance. Having a parent with Type 2 diabetes increases a child's risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 50 percent. Both genetics and the family's activity and eating environment most likely contribute to this increased risk.

Often a precursor to Type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes is a condition in which individuals have blood-glucose levels higher than normal but not high enough to officially be classified as diabetes. The steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes also reduce the risk for pre-diabetes.

The warning signs of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes are similar. A child or adolescent with Type 2 diabetes may experience excessive thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss with stable or even increased intake of food, blurred vision, slow healing sores or frequent infections and feeling tired. Another commonly seen sign of pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes is the development of acanthosis nigricans. Acanthosis nigricans is a condition where individuals have patches of thick, dark skin that feels almost like velvet on their neck or under their arms. Acanthosis nigricans does not develop in children with Type 1 diabetes. Although these are the common symptoms, some children and teens will not notice any of these warning signs and will be diagnosed during a routine checkup.

While there are no preventative measures that can be taken to reduce a child's risk of getting Type 1 diabetes, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Being overweight is a primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes in children. The more fatty tissue a child has, the more resistant his or her cells become to insulin. The good news is that many children who have pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes can improve their risk profile and blood sugar levels simply by losing excessive weight. Another risk factor for Type 2 diabetes is inactivity. The less active a child is, the greater his or her risk. Physical activity helps control weight, uses glucose as energy, and makes the body's cells more responsive to insulin. While family history, race and gender are also risk factors, proper diet and exercise can have a huge impact on reducing one's likelihood of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes can be easy to ignore, especially in the early stages when symptoms may not be as noticeable. However, it is crucial that it be taken serious at any age. The condition can affect nearly every major organ in a child's body, including the heart, blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. Maintaining good glucose control can dramatically reduce the risk of these complications.

Children or teens whose parents suspect they may have pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes should see their primary care physician for an evaluation. If a child is found to have pre-diabetes or Type 2 diabetes, families should seek the guidance and care of a diabetes team that includes an endocrinologist and certified diabetes educators specializing in pediatrics. And it is important to remember that the first step in treating Type 2 diabetes is taking the appropriate steps in weight management, diet and exercise to attempt to prevent it.

Diabetics' Blood Sugar Reduced With Exercise Programme

2010-12-01T00:22:00.000-08:00

Diabetics' Blood Sugar Reduced With Exercise Programme

Combining aerobics and weight training is the best exercise regime for diabetics to help lower their blood sugar, a US study has found.

Researchers randomised 262 sedentary men and women with type 2 diabetes and HbA1C levels of 6.5 per cent or higher to either no exercise, an aerobic exercise programme, resistance training or a combination of both exercises for nine months.

The authors said: “A combination of aerobic and resistance training compared with the non-exercise control group improved HbA1C levels.

“This was not achieved by aerobic or resistance training alone.”

Managing Diabetes During the Holidays

2010-11-30T01:21:00.000-08:00

Managing Diabetes During the Holidays

Having diabetes shouldn't stop you from enjoying holiday celebrations and travel. With some planning and a little work, you can stay healthy on the road and at holiday gatherings with friends and family.

Preparation is the key to managing diabetes during holiday travel and festivities. Know what you'll be eating, how to enjoy a few traditional favorites while sticking with a healthy meal plan, and how to pack necessary supplies for a trip, and you're all set to celebrate!

Feasts and Parties

Before you go, take these steps to make sure you stick to your healthy meal plan.

Eat a healthy snack to avoid overeating at the party.
Ask what food will be served, so you can see how it fits into your meal plan.
Bring a nutritious snack or dish for yourself and others.

You don't have to give up all of your holiday favorites if you make healthy choices and limit portion sizes. At a party or holiday gathering, follow these tips to avoid overeating and to choose healthy foods.

If you're at a buffet, fix your plate and move to another room away from the food, if possible.
Choose smaller portions.

Choose low-calorie drinks such as sparkling water, unsweetened tea or diet beverages. If you select an alcoholic beverage, limit it to one drink a day for women, two for men, and drink only with a meal.
Watch out for heavy holiday favorites such as hams coated with a honey glaze, turkey swimming in gravy and side dishes loaded with butter, sour cream, cheese or mayonnaise. Instead, choose turkey without gravy and trim off the skin, or other lean meats.
Look for side dishes and vegetables that are light on butter, dressing and other extra fats and sugars, such as marshmallows or fried vegetable toppings.
Watch the salt. Some holiday favorites are made with prepared foods high in sodium. Choose fresh or frozen vegetables that are low in sodium.
Select fruit instead of pies, cakes and other desserts high in fat, cholesterol and sugar.
Focus on friends, family and activities instead of food. Take a walk after a meal, or join in the dancing at a party.

Traveling for the Holidays

Leaving home to visit friends and family means changing routines. Make sure you remember to take care of your diabetes while traveling. Check blood glucose (sugar) more often than usual, because a changing schedule can affect levels.

Remember Your Medication

Pack twice the amount of diabetes supplies you expect to need, in case of travel delays.
Keep snacks, glucose gel, or tablets with you in case your blood glucose drops.
Make sure you keep your medical insurance card and emergency phone numbers handy, including your doctor's name and phone number.
Carry medical identification that says you have diabetes.
Keep time zone changes in mind so you'll know when to take medication.
If you use insulin, make sure you also pack a glucagon emergency kit.
Keep your insulin cool by packing it in an insulated bag with refrigerated gel packs.

On the Road and in the Air

Get an influenza vaccination before traveling, unless your medical provider instructs otherwise. Get the flu shot, not the nasal spray.
Wash hands often with soap and water. Try to avoid contact with sick people.
Reduce your risk for blood clots by moving around every hour or two.
Pack a small cooler of foods that may be difficult to find while traveling, such as fresh fruit, sliced raw vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat yogurt.
Bring a few bottles of water instead of sweetened soda or juice.
Pack dried fruit, nuts, and seeds as snacks. Since these foods can be high in calories, measure out small portions (¼ cup) in advance.
If you're flying and do not want to walk through the metal detector with your insulin pump, tell a security officer that you are wearing an insulin pump and ask them to visually inspect the pump and do a full-body pat-down.
Place all diabetes supplies in carry-on luggage. Keep medications and snacks at your seat for easy access. Don't store them in overhead bins.
Have all syringes and insulin delivery systems (including vials of insulin) clearly marked with the pharmaceutical preprinted label that identifies the medications. Keep it in the original pharmacy labeled packaging.
If a meal will be served during your flight, call ahead for a diabetic, low fat, or low cholesterol meal. Wait until your food is about to be served before you take your insulin.
If the airline doesn't offer a meal, bring a nutritious meal yourself. Make sure to pack snacks in case of flight delays.
When drawing up your dose of insulin, don't inject air into the bottle (the air on your plane will probably be pressurized).
Stick with your routine for staying active. Make sure to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity, five days a week.

Diabetes Epidemic Will Hit Half of U.S. by 2020

2010-11-26T01:06:00.000-08:00

Diabetes Epidemic Will Hit Half of U.S. by 2020

More than half of all Americans may develop diabetes or prediabetes by 2020, unless prevention strategies aimed at weight loss and increased physical activity are widely implemented, according to a new analysis.

These efforts could in theory also save about $250 billion in health care costs in the next 10 years, suggests the analysis published by UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization, a specialized center within UnitedHealth that focuses on health care reform issues.

“We need a sense of urgency. There is a lot of money and human suffering at stake,”says Deneen Vojta, MD, senior vice president of the UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform and Modernization, which is based in Minneapolis. “The good news is that we know what works, and if we work together in a concerted national way, we can win.”

Weight Loss and Exercise

For example, programs such as the UnitedHealth Group Diabetes Prevention Program, which is done in conjunction with the Y, can help make a dent in this burgeoning epidemic. This program is based on the U.S. Diabetes Prevention Program, which shows that modest weight loss through dietary changes and increased physical activity could prevent prediabetes from progressing to diabetes.

Prediabetes refers to blood sugar (glucose) levels between 100 to 125 milligrams per deciliter of blood (mg/dL). Ideal fasting blood levels should be less than 100 mg/dL.

Now, Vojta says, “If I do diagnose you with prediabetes, I can say that there is a program in your community that can add years to your life.”

"As stunning as these projections are, there is hope that we can slow and reverse this epidemic with proven interventions,”says Tom Beauregard,an executive vice president of UnitedHealth Group and the executive director of the UnitedHealth Center for Health Reform & Modernization.

Early Diabetes Diagnosis

Diagnosing diabetes or prediabetes earlier is a key part of the prevention strategy, Beauregard says. As it stands now, a majority of people with prediabetes and many with diabetes do not even know they have it, he says.

“On a technical level, we can identify prediabetes and diabetes and we have proven evidence-based intervention,” he says. “What it comes down to is well-organized public awareness campaigns and incentives, and we need to reimburse community-based prevention programs.”

Once people are diagnosed, efforts are needed to help improve management of diabetes by boosting adherence with medications, the new report suggests. Improved adherence will stave off diabetes-related complications. This will also help curb costs because the cost of caring for a person with diabetes increases exponentially in the presence of complications.

Leonid Poretsky, MD, director of the Friedman Diabetes Institute at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, thinks it is time for all insurers to cover the costs of diabetes prevention programs.

“Prevention of diabetes means weight reduction, including nutrition counseling and exercise, and most payers don’t cover these,” he says.

“These are often covered once you have diabetes, but it is much better to prevent it from occurring in the first place,” he says. “Insurers need to cover screens for diabetes and prevention treatments widely for the entire population, not just certain programs in certain communities.”

Medicine Alone Can't Control Diabetes

2010-11-24T00:28:00.000-08:00

'Medicine Alone Can't Control Diabetes

Landmark Group vice-president Renuka Jagtiani joined hundreds of Bangaloreans who hit the road to spread awareness about diabetes. She is one of the key organizers of The Times of India and Lifestyle `Beat Diabetes' walkathon and has organized similar walkathons in West Asia as well. Renuka shared her ideas about why Landmark Group chose to focus on the issue. Excerpts from an interview:

Do you think walking can control diabetes?

Yes it can. We have checked with doctors and realized that medicine alone cannot control it. One has to exercise regularly. Simple activities like walking and swimming help keep metabolism rate high and control diabetes.

Why did you choose diabetes for your corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign?

Both India and West Asia have very high incidence of diabetics. India, with 70 million affected, is the diabetes capital of the world.

How was your campaign in West Asia?

In Dubai, where we organized the event for the second time this year, around 7,000 people took part, many of whom were children. Cricketer Wasim Akram, a diabetic himself, also participated. We want more kids to walk. I am thrilled to see so many Bangaloreans taking part in the walkathon.

Facebook to Help Fight Diabetes in Latinos

2010-11-22T00:44:00.000-08:00

Facebook to Help Fight Diabetes in Latinos

A Facebook application to help educate Latinos about the risks of diabetes launched this month on the popular social networking website.

HealthSeeker Explorando tu Salud, Paso a Paso is a Facebook application that aims to help the almost 10 million Latinos who use the site by providing lifestyle and nutritional tips to help manage and prevent diabetes.

Latinos are twice as likely to have diabetes as their non-Latino counterparts, and approximately 10 percent of Latinos are reported to have diabetes, latina.com reports.

Learn the Basics of Diabetes Care

2010-11-19T00:31:00.000-08:00

Learn the Basics of Diabetes Care

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Described in simple terms, diabetes is a chronic disease marked by high levels of sugar in the blood. It is a lifelong condition that has no cure.

There are three basic classifications of the disease: Gestational diabetes, Type 1 diabetes and Type 2 diabetes.

Symptoms vary with the classification. Generally, high blood levels of glucose can cause several problems including blurred vision, excessive thirst, fatigue, frequent urination, hunger and weight loss.

However, because Type 2 diabetes develops slowly, some people with high blood sugar experience few if any symptoms.

Symptoms of Type 1 diabetes include fatigue, increased thirst, increased urination, nausea, vomiting and weight loss despite an increase in appetite.

People with Type 1 diabetes often develop symp-toms over a short period of time. Unfortunately, the condition is often diagnosed in an emergency.

Symptoms of Type 2 diabetes include blurred vision, fatigue, increased appetite, increased thirst and increased urination.

Immediate goals are to treat diabetic ketoacidosis and high blood glucose levels. Because the onset of Type 1 diabetes is sudden and the symptoms severe, people who are diagnosed in an emergency are likely to go to the hospital.

Long-term treatment goals are reducing the symp-toms and to prevent diabetes-related complications such as amputation of limbs, blindness, heart disease and kidney failure, all of which can have deadly consequences.

The ultimate goal, of course, is to keep you alive. To do that requires careful and regular self-testing of blood glucose levels, education, exercise, foot care, meal planning, controlling weight and medication or use of insulin.

Remember, there is no cure for diabetes. Treatment is the only option. Learning these skills will help prevent the need for emergency care: how to recognize and treat high blood sugar, what to eat and when, how to take insulin or oral medication, how to test for and record blood glucose, how to adjust insulin or food intake, and changing exercise and eating habits.

Knowing the fundamentals of care, understanding how the disease can cause long-term health problems and learning new and improved ways to treat the dis-ease as new methods are developed are the best ways to control and minimize diabetes and its impact on your life.

China Spends RMB 173.4 Billion (US$25 Billion) A Year On Diabetes Treatment

2010-11-17T00:10:00.000-08:00

China Spends RMB 173.4 Billion (US$25 Billion) A Year On Diabetes Treatment

Marking World Diabetes Day on November 14, the Chinese Diabetes Society of the Chinese Medical Association, and the International Diabetes Federation launched the findings of a new study revealing the social and economic impact of diabetes in China.

The study, conducted by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS), is a follow-up to a study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine which found that China had twice as many people with diabetes than previously estimated (92.4 million adults).

Key Findings Of IDF-CDS Study

Approximately 5,000 people were interviewed between January 2008 and August 2010 in 12 sites for this nationally representative study. Early results from data based on 1,920 responses from 5 sites reveal the following key findings:

1) CDS and IDF estimate that 13% of total medical expenditures in China are directly caused by diabetes: RMB 173.4 billion or US$25 billion. People with diabetes in China report 3 to 4 times more in-patient care, out-patient visits, and emergency room visits than people without diabetes of the same age and sex.

2) These numbers will increase rapidly over the next 10 to 20 years when approximately 50 million Chinese with undiagnosed diabetes enter medical care, and when they and the 50 million Chinese with diagnosed diabetes start developing preventable diabetes complications such as stroke, blindness and kidney disease.

3) Health expenditures for people in China who have had diabetes for 10 or more years are 460% higher than for people who have had diabetes for 1 to 2 years.

4) Urban Chinese with diabetes are so far well-protected from the financial impact of diabetes that often causes destitution in countries without health insurance systems. 89% of people with diabetes in the 5 Chinese cities studied had health insurance. Only 11% of their total household income was spent on medical care. However, they spend 9 times more than people of the same age and sex without diabetes. Persons who have had diabetes for more than 10 years spent 22% of their current household income for healthcare.

5) Diabetes prevalence is skyrocketing in China. People are getting diabetes at a younger age. However, China has a window of opportunity to prevent an epidemic of serious diabetes complications, which will increase spending dramatically. Currently, fewer than 5% of Chinese people with diabetes have experienced stroke, heart attack and heart failure. Less than 5% report kidney disease, eye surgery, or problems with their feet or legs. Half the people interviewed use glucose-lowering drugs but few use anti-hypertensives (16%), statins (1%), or aspirin (13%) which are inexpensive and highly effective and can together lower the risk of complications by 50% or more.

Millions of People Live with Diabetes

2010-11-16T01:25:00.000-08:00

Millions of People Live with Diabetes

More than 300 million people live with diabetes around the world. Within a generation, that number is expected to reach half a billion. 8.5% of European adults have diabetes. This is no small number, especially considering an estimated 630,000 Europeans died from diabetes and its complications in 2010.

On the occasion of the World Diabetes Day 2010, Chris J Delicata, Chairman of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), European Region, stated that “more than €85 billion will be spent on treating diabetes and its complications in Europe this year. This is spent to treat this life-long condition and the serious complications associated with it. It’s a huge cost for the global health budget but inevitable in the circumstances”.

Starting today, people from all corners of the world are uniting together for 3 days of celebration to put diabetes firmly in the public spotlight. World Diabetes Day is the best opportunity there is to draw attention to the silent killer that is diabetes. Celebrated every year on November 14, World Diabetes Day was initiated in 1991 by the IDF and the World Health Organization in response to growing concerns about the escalating health threat that diabetes poses to the global community.

“World Diabetes Day is a great opportunity to unite and increase understanding and awareness of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs). With better awareness, people may understand the risks associated with diabetes and take control immediately before it is too late,” Mr Delicata said.

IDF’s Chief Executive Officer, Ann Keeling said that the world is finally waking up to the threat of diabetes and other NCDs. The UN General Assembly voted unanimously to hold a UN High Level Summit on NCDs in September 2011.

“The UN Summit will bring heads of state, government representatives, NGOs and public health experts together to discuss the global threat and commit to the global response required for diabetes and other NCDs,” she said.